Guardian of the Hunt
by MusickMage
Summary: When Percy is dumped by Annabeth and Sally and Paul are killed, he truly has nothing left. He goes to the gods to die, but instead is given a second chance. An appearance from Chaos reveals that there may be more in store for Percy than he expected, and he is offered the position of Guardian of the Hunt. Will Percy discover a new family with the Huntresses? Will he ever find love?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Dragging myself to my feet, I untangled the broken branches and leaves from my shredded clothes. I stretched my muscles, cursing at how sore they were. My body had no visible scratches, but as I looked around, I noticed just how far I had strayed off the path. Remembering the reason _why_ I was so far from the camp, my blood boiled with anger. Groaning, I brushed myself off and stumbled towards the path. After taking a look around, I used my internal compass to guide me back to camp. When I finally broke out of the line of trees, stumbling into the light, I was greeted with a shrill,

"WHERE _HAVE_ YOU BEEN?"

Crud, this was going to take some explaining.

Hi. My name is Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, Savior of Olympus, and Guardian of the Hunt. I am currently 19 years old, and will remain that way for eternity. That is, unless I fall in battle. You see, by Guardian of the Hunt, I meant guardian of the immortal Huntresses and their mistress, Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt (among other things). I have been loyally serving Artemis for a couple months now, and trust me; it is _anything_ but a walk in the park, er, woods. You see, it all started after my friends and I defeated Gaea and saved Olympus a few years ago…

 **LINE BREAK**

Camp Half-Blood had never seemed empty before, but now it was full to bursting with campers. You could barely walk three feet without tripping over one of the god's newly claimed kids. The little ones – the few campers who were eight or younger – were running around playing. Everyone else was in some form of class or training.

Percy was walking to the beach to relax after a training session with the Ares cabin. They were no match for him, even all together, so the session ended quickly. Jogging down to the shore, he was happy to see that Annabeth, his girlfriend of 3 years, was waiting there for him. Jogging up behind her, he noticed that she was lost in thought and covered her eyes with his hands.

"Guess who?" he asked teasingly.

She jumped, spinning around with her hand clutching the hilt of her dagger. Backing up with his hands raised into the universal position for 'surrender,' Percy laughed.

"Whoa, Wise Girl, let's not make me into a Seaweed-Brain-On-A-Stick," he joked. She sheathed her dagger, her stormy grey eyes serious and focused.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, concerned. Annabeth sighed.

"Percy, I've been thinking-" she began. Percy chuckled.

"When _aren't_ you thinking?" he teased. Then he noticed the look on her face.

"Okay, okay, not the time for joking," he relented. She glared at him once more before continuing.

"So, I've decided…well…this is hard to say, but…I want to go to college!" she blurted. Percy blinked, surprised, then beamed.

"Well, of course, Wise Girl! You should totally go to college! I meant to keep this a surprise but I've been visiting New Rome and-"

Annabeth shook her head, cutting him off.

"No, Percy, you don't understand. I-I'm done being a demigod. I'm done watching friend after friend die, done burning their shrouds, done with the gods not caring. I want to go to college in the mortal world, to be a normal teenager for once in my life. Don't I deserve that? Just one chance at normalcy?

"Of course you do, Annabeth, but-"

"No, no buts Percy! I've been thinking about this for a while, and my decision is final. I've been accepted to Harvard on an architectural scholarship, and I accepted. I leave in a week." She finished, staring at him defiantly, daring him to contradict her.

Percy sat there, stunned.

"You mean, you're leaving?" Percy's voice cracked, and Annabeth winced slightly.

"Just like that? No warning, just 'Oh, hey, Percy, by the way, I, Annabeth Chase, your girlfriend of three years as of _today_ , am leaving you for college?!'" Percy exclaimed, anger creeping into his voice.

"You've been disappearing on and off all year! You won't tell me where you go, or what you do! What am I supposed to think?" Annabeth screamed right back at him.

Percy plowed on, "'No, I didn't think of how you would feel. No, I didn't bother asking you what _you_ wanted to do with your life, or what you had planned for the two of us. No, I did not think that maybe, possibly, you could have applied to Harvard too and possibly, actually gotten in.'

"Because guess what, Annabeth, I did. I applied to Harvard, just to see, just in case that's what you wanted, because your mom hinted as much, and I got in, just for you, as a major in marine biology. I applied just in case this happened, just in case you wanted to go.

But seeing as you don't care about me, since you obviously care about going to Harvard and having a normal life more then me, more than my choice to turn down godhood in order to spend the rest of my life with you, then go ahead," Percy finished.

"I never asked you to," she said quietly, and Percy froze. He blinked at her, stunned, before a wave of pain washed over his face and he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small black box.

"You want to know why I've been disappearing so often? I was proving to your mother that I was worthy of your hand in marriage. I was ready to propose weeks ago, but wanted to wait for the perfect moment. Gods, I even built us a house in New Rome, within walking distance of that coffee shop that makes your favorite hot chocolate.

"I was going to ask you to marry me tonight, at the campfire. But I guess that's not what you want. You want a normal life? Harvard is your new dream? Well, you were mine. Happy anniversary. We're through." With that, Percy threw the box into the sand and stormed off, ignoring the droplets that dotted his cheeks.

Annabeth didn't move, stunned by Percy's proclamation. His words hit her like bricks. He had been accepted to Harvard, for her? He had built them a house? He was going to propose, tonight?

She had completely forgotten about what the date was, having been too busy worrying about her decision and how to tell Percy. Now she had ruined the happy ending she hadn't dared hope for, and all for a stupid mortal school whose classes were probably going to be too easy for her anyway.

Kneeling down on the sand, she picked up the box Percy had dropped and opened it. At the sight of the ring, she gasped, before finally letting her tears fall.

Inside the box was a small silver band with three small diamonds. The center diamond was the largest, had a silver-grey hue, and was framed by two smaller sea green diamonds. The band itself had olive branches engraved around it, and on the inside of the band, Percy had engraved a message.

 _To last a thousand years. I love you, W.G. –S.B._

Annabeth's eyes watered as she traced the words with her fingers. He had remembered what she had said all those years ago about her dream of building something that would last forever. Why couldn't she see that it wasn't a building or a career that would make her happy, but having Percy in her life? She had messed up, worse than ever before.

Annabeth steeled her resolve, sliding the ring onto her finger before running after Percy, determined to fix what she had just ruined. As she sprinted along the beach, back towards camp, she had only one thought.

 _What have I done?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Once Blackjack dropped Percy off, he flew back to find a donut shop to raid. Percy had begun to regret letting the Stoll brothers groom him while he was gone. Their troublemaking tendencies had rubbed off on his already rebellious Pegasus – but right now, he had bigger concerns.

Percy took a deep breath outside the door to his mom's apartment, bracing himself as he opened it to find…an empty room. Huh. He could have sworn that was Paul's Prius parked on the street outside. Wandering through the apartment, Percy called out to his parents.

"Mom! Paul! I'm home!"

As he passed his old room, Gabe's ex-study, Percy couldn't help but peek in. His mom had obviously cleaned the room since Percy had last been here, but most of his stuff was still out.

Pictures of him with his camp friends lined the walls and dresser, Annabeth's face jumping out at him from most of them. Percy couldn't take it anymore, and turned to leave, when something caught his eye. Going to investigate, he discovered a small silver band on his desk.

It had a small, crescent shaped diamond, and the band had little tiny diamond shards imbedded in it like stars. Percy pocketed the ring, wondering where it had come from. Had his mom left it there? He went to ask her.

"Mom? Paul? I'm home! I missed you guys, you wouldn't believe…what…" Percy trailed off as he walked into their bedroom. The dresser drawers were pulled out, clothes strewn everywhere.

The sheets and comforter had been torn off the bed, feathers from the pillows floating free. The window was shattered, and looking out, Percy discovered a chair on the ground under the window, surrounded by broken glass. There was a red tint on the edge of the glass, and with a sickening feeling in his gut, Percy realized it was blood.

Searching the apartment revealed nothing about what had taken his parents and where they had gone, or what condition they were in. In his despair, Percy ran back outside, and into the alley, growing more and more frantic.

He waved his hand and caused the fire hydrant by the curb to explode, tossing a drachma he had fished from his pocket into the forming mist.

"Fleecy, Iris, someone – please accept my offering. Show me Chiron at Camp Half-Blood," Percy stammered, his voice heavy with panic.

"Percy? What-where are you? Aren't you in your cabin? Are you alright?" Chiron asked, sounding alarmed. Percy took a shaky breath.

"M-my parents are gone," Percy stammered, his voice cracking on the last word.

"Something overran the apartment, maybe a monster, I don't know but there's no trace of them. Someone threw a chair out the window and there's blood, and their room is torn apart. I don't have a clue where they are, or if they are okay –for all I know, they could be d-de..." Percy choked, unable to finish the thought.

He glanced to the side, unable to look at Chiron, and spotted something sticking out from under a pile of boxes next to the dumpster.

Looking closer, Percy realized that the thing he was looking at was a blood-soaked hand. Gasping, he rushed over, pulling the body out from under the boxes. He drew in a shaky breath. Lying there, his body burned and bloody, eyes open and staring, was Paul. Looking under the boxes again, Percy then dragged out the lifeless body of his mother. Crying, he kneeled down over them.

"No…No...Gods, this can't be happening…Mom, Paul…NO. NO! NO NO NO! This can't be happening! They can't be…How could they be..." Percy sobbed. Chiron called to him.

"Percy, oh Percy. I'm so sorry. This is a horrible tragedy – they were truly wonderful people. I promise you, we will do all we can to find the monster that did this, but there's nothing you can do now but give them a proper burial. Why don't you bring them down to camp and-"

"No."

Percy was staring hollowly at his mother's corpse, and Chiron watched him with unspeakable sorrow.

"But, Percy, surely you want to give them what little peace you can offer them?" Percy nodded.

"Of course I do. I owe them that much, at least. But I'm not burying them at Camp. No, I have a better idea." Making a decision, Percy stood and faced the Iris Message.

"I'm not coming back, Chiron. I'll miss you and the others, and I want to thank you for all you did for me. You were like a second father to me, and you always will be. But you don't need to worry about me anymore. I'm done with camp. With everything. Goodbye."

"Now, Percy, hold on a second, what do you mean-" Percy swiped his hand through the mist, dissolving it.

Going to stand over his parent's mangled bodies, he channeled all his sorrow and grief into calling upon his powers. Using a new trick he had been practicing after a tip from his dad, he concentrated on using the water droplets in the air to transport himself and the two bodies to his mom's favorite location. Montauk.

Percy almost collapsed from exhaustion; he had never tried to transport anyone other then himself before, and much like Nico's shadow traveling, the effort always left him drained. After giving himself a few minutes to recover, he forced himself to get up and move.

He stalked up to the cabin, not allowing himself to look around and let the memories overwhelm him. He stripped the sheets off of the beds, using them as makeshift shrouds to cover his mom and Paul, and spent the evening collecting enough driftwood to make a raft.

As the sun set, he said the final rites for his parents, taking a long time to get the words out and finally choking out his goodbyes before lighting the shrouds and sending them out to sea.

He sat watching the burning raft float towards the horizon for hours, the life draining from his eyes as each second passed, drowning in his guilt and grief and sorrow. Hours later, when the sky began to lighten again, Percy stood, wiping his eyes. With one last look at the sea, Percy turned his back to the horizon and transported himself once more.

Percy promptly collapsed outside the entrance to the Empire State Building, sliding down the wall and trying to dispel the dizziness. He waited a few minutes, waiting for the shaking to subside, before pushing into the lobby and walking up to the desk.

"600th floor," he mumbled miserably. The guard looked up.

"Sorry kid, no such floor," the guard deadpanned, looking bored.

"Key, now, or I show everyone in here just how much damage the Savior of Olympus can do," Percy demanded hollowly, pulling out Riptide. The guard looked from the pen to his face and gave in, handing him the key. Percy swiped it from his hand, giving him a curt nod before marching to the elevator.

Percy hesitated before the doors to the throne room, his hand hovering above the handle. He wavered. Did he really want to do this? Was there really no other option? No. His parents were dead, because of him. Annabeth left him. There were no more prophecies, no one else needed him. His friends all had jobs, and he alone was irrelevant. He had nothing else, nothing left to live for. This was better, for everyone.

Throwing open the doors, Percy marched into the throne room of the gods. Only the Olympians were in attendance, the thrones of the minor gods sitting empty at the edges of the semicircle. As he approached, the gods all fell silent upon their thrones, stunned by the amount of pain and despair in his face.

Zeus was the first to recover.

"How dare-" he began, before Poseidon cut him off with a glare. Zeus glared back, sighing through his nose before beginning again.

"Well, demigod?" he asked, one eyebrow raised. Percy bowed robotically, first to him, then Poseidon.

"Lord Zeus, I come with a request." He intoned, his head still bowed.

"Rise, godling, and tell us of your request. Pray it amuses me, lest I blast you for your arrogance." Zeus rumbled menacingly. Poseidon rolled his eyes; no one was more arrogant then Zeus himself.

"That's pretty much why I've come," Percy admitted. "So you could destroy me like you've always wanted."

Every god and goddess in the room reacted differently. Zeus rubbed his beard, more then a little surprised. Poseidon sat frozen in his throne, shocked into silence. Ares was grinning wickedly, while Aphrodite gasped, covering her pink lips with her perfectly manicured hand as her eyes filled with tears.

Hera looked Percy over incredulously, as did Artemis, her silver eyes appraising as she took in his slumped shoulders and empty eyes. Hades was staring at the boy, his eyes boring into him. Hermes and Apollo were gaping at Percy like fish out of water, while Demeter watched the boy curiously.

Dionysus had a can of Diet Coke halfway to his mouth, his jaw frozen halfway open and his eyes open wide in surprise. Hephaestus studied the boy with indifference, rubbing his beard absent-mindedly. Hestia looked at Percy from her place by the hearth, sorrow and grief clouding her warm brown eyes.

Athena was silent, her lips pressed tightly together, eyes calculating, thinking over every reason that could have driven him to such a request. She wanted to start shouting at him, to demand why he would abandon Annabeth after he had spent so much time proving his worth to her, but she realized the foolishness of doing so. It would only ignite a shouting match, which wouldn't help anything.

During the time he had spent completing the many arduous tasks she had set for him, he had proven himself to her. Unbeknownst to him, aside from the many labors she assigned to him, she had also given him secret tests, tests that Percy hadn't even been aware of taking.

These tests proved to her the existence of his inner wisdom (however deeply it was buried), his loyalty to her daughter, his hero's honesty, and everything else she didn't already know. She was still aware of his fatal flaw, but she had come to believe that he could keep it under control enough to keep her daughter safe.

So why leave Annabeth? What could have possibly changed his mind after she had seen just how serious he was about her daughter? Unless…no. She couldn't bear the thought that came next. None of her children, especially not her favorite daughter, would be so…stupid. Would they?

Poseidon finally broke the silence.

"WHAT?! Percy, why? No! I refuse! Absolutely not! Zeus, if you dare touch a hair on his head-" Poseidon thundered desperately, a storm brewing in his eyes. Percy just looked at him calmly, sorrow reflecting in his own.

"Look, Dad, I'm sorry. I know you don't understand, but I honestly have nothing left to live for. There's so much pain – is it wrong to want it over with? To just end it all?" Percy explained sorrowfully, his eyes watering.

The only one to speak was Hestia, who sat by the hearth.

"Why would you request such a thing, young hero? What do you mean, there is nothing left for you?" She asked. Percy met her gaze, strengthened by the warmth he saw there, and haltingly shared his reasons.

"Well, first off, yesterday was Annabeth and my three year anniversary. I had planned to propose, but before I could, she told me she had decided to go to college in the mortal world, and because of my absences and secrecy throughout the year, was dumping me in order to 'concentrate on her studies' or whatever.

I left camp to talk to my mom and Paul and get away for a bit, but when I got to their apartment I found them d-dead, their corpses dumped in the alleyway after being killed by some monster-"

He stopped to rub his eyes and clear the thickness from his throat. Athena closed her eyes and rubbed her temples while Poseidon's skin turned white.

"I took them to Montauk, burned shrouds for them and gave them a proper burial at sea, then came straight here. T-they're gone, and it's my fault, whatever monster it was, they were probably after me and I wasn't there to protect them-" Percy rambled, his voice growing rougher with anger and guilt as he grabbed fistfuls of his hair in frustration. Poseidon's eyes were rimmed red, his hands shaking as he stammered out the only thought running through his head.

"S-Sally – she's dead?" he questioned hoarsely.

Percy could only nod, unable to meet his father's eyes. Poseidon slumped in his throne as if the only cord holding him up had been cut, burying his face in his hands as his body was racked with sobs. Athena grimly consoled him as she assessed Percy's words. She knew he was telling the truth, but she was having a hard time believing that Annabeth would do such a thing.

Her children had her wisdom, her sense of justice, and her gift of battle strategy. So what made Annabeth believe a mortal school would be more beneficial to her then a loving husband who could provide the ultimate amount of protection?

Even though Athena was a maiden, that didn't mean she didn't understand the benefits of having a husband. She didn't have anything against men, only sea spawn and fools. So why would Annabeth turn down Percy? Why wouldn't she want a husband? A husband who, despite the odds, had earned her mother's blessing?

With a sinking feeling, Athena remembered that her children almost always inherited her sense of pride as well. She understood that Annabeth must have felt that after all the suffering she had faced, she deserved the chance to be normal for once.

The fact that Athena was a maiden goddess didn't help matters, and her rivalry with Poseidon worsened the situation even more. If Athena had been less proud and accepted the son of Poseidon before, would he be here now, begging for death in part because of a poor decision on her daughter's part? Athena sighed. She knew the answer.

Glancing up regretfully at the boy standing in front of her, she listened to the rest of his story.

Percy explained his feeling of irrelevance, how after the war each of his friends had been given responsibilities that gave purpose to their lives, while he was left with no other prophecies to fulfill and a sudden realization that he wasn't really needed anymore.

Percy tried for a smile. "I didn't mind it all that much, really. Frankly, I was glad for some normalcy, time to relax and grieve for those we lost in the war. I was content to spend the rest of my life with Annabeth, first in New Rome and then running Camp Half-Blood. But now…" Percy continued miserably.

"Nico is always in the Underworld, Thalia is busy with the Hunters and rarely comes to visit. Grover's always off and running around, being a Lord of the Wild and all, and what free time he has he spends with Juniper.

The Stolls are head counselors and are often gone helping Lord Hermes with deliveries, Rachel has mortal school and spends the summers with Ella in New Rome, and Clarisse has her duties as Ares's chariot driver.

My friends at Camp Jupiter are great, but they're busy with their own lives too, and I don't belong there. Me…no one needs me anymore. My place is in the Underworld, with my parents and the friends I should have died alongside – Zoe, Beckendorf, Bianca, Silena. Please, please just kill me, let me join them. Don't make me suffer anymore. You'll be doing everyone a favor," Percy begged, growing desperate.

During his speech, the gods had grown even more sad and distressed. They were just now realizing how much they had neglected the hero before them, and had failed to check in on their own children. How many felt, like Percy, that they should have died alongside their friends? How many suffered from grief and loneliness, feeling neglected and irrelevant?

The evidence of this disregard stood before them in the form of Percy Jackson, the Savior of Olympus, who had come to them asking for his own death. There had to be another way.

Athena sat up suddenly, struck with an idea.

Discreetly, she spoke telepathically to Artemis. The other gods and goddesses vaguely noticed the two of them locked in a glaring contest until Athena narrowed her eyes and Artemis finally looked away, scowling. Athena lifted her chin in subdued triumph before turning to her father.

Athena cleared her throat. As everyone looked at her, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Father, if I may, I believe I have a solution." She announced. When he nodded his consent, she continued.

"Perseus, I am truly sorry for the pain you have suffered. Especially the pain brought upon you by the foolish decision my daughter has made. Had I known, I would like to think that I would have been able to prevent this, somehow.

As it is, you have proven your worth not only to me but to every god and goddess in this room on multiple occasions, and I know I speak for all of us when I say that there is a distinct possibility, however reluctant we are to admit it, that we would not be here without you. For that, you have our gratitude.

That said, we simply cannot destroy the Savior of Olympus, now can we? How foolish do you think we are, to kill the hero that not only won us one war, but two? How would that make us look? No, that would not do. Instead, I propose an alternate solution. Perseus, I believe you said you wished for death due to lack of purpose? Because you have nothing left to tie you to the mortal world?" Percy nodded.

"Very well then. I have discussed with Artemis, and she agrees that, if you so choose, she will grant you the position of Guardian of the Hunt," Athena announced.

Everyone in the room turned to Artemis, eyes wide. She regarded them coldly.

"It is true. While I am a maiden goddess, and I do dislike boys, I respect both true heroes and boys who have proven themselves to be men. Perseus has proven himself to be both, and it is true that I owe him a great debt. We all do. It is the least I can do, even if I do strongly dislike the idea of having a man in my Hunt."

The gods all shifted on their thrones, stunned but wisely keeping their opinions to themselves. Zeus glowered at Percy, despising the reminder of the gods' weaknesses. Artemis continued.

"But be warned, Perseus, that this position will not be easy for you, not for one second. And be sure that you do not delude yourself with the idea that this offer is anything but a mercy, because it isn't, and I am only doing this to repay you for what you have done for us gods, and for me, all those years ago. It is out of pure obligation that I offer you the position of Guardian, nothing more." Percy bowed.

"Of course, I would expect nothing less, Lady Artemis." Percy replied, his mouth quirking up into a weak smile despite his dejection.

"Well, alright then. Perseus, do you swear to protect my daughter and her Hunters from harm, to your utmost ability? Do you swear to act as their Guardian from now until the time of your death?" Zeus thundered.

"I accept this responsibility. I swear, on the River Styx, on all the gods and even Lord Chaos himself, to keep My Lady Artemis and her Hunters safe to the best of my ability. To remain loyal to her and her Hunters, and to treat them as I would my own family. For they have given me a purpose, and I shall strive to repay them for their generosity in every way I can." Percy replied gravely, moved by the sympathy he saw in Artemis's eyes behind the cold mask she wore.

The last time he had seen that expression it had been as the goddess cradled Zoe, her faithful lieutenant, in her arms as she took her final breath. It was for Zoe that Percy did not refuse and let the gods smite him for his disrespect – because if he could do anything to repay her, it was to serve the goddess she loved so dearly.

The Olympians all looked surprised, as did Percy himself. No one had sworn on Chaos in centuries – it had fallen out of practice after a series of incidents long ago, in ages past. Most demigods hadn't even heard of Chaos. So how had this demigod, and what had driven him to invoke the creator's name? Percy couldn't figure it out either. The words had just come out of his mouth; he hadn't even registered what he had said.

Zeus looked at Percy incredulously.

"Why, boy, did you swear on the creator?" he asked. Percy shrugged, looking baffled.

"I…can't explain it…it just…came out. It felt…right," he answered, confused.

"Yes, I suppose it did," an ancient, lilting voice spoke from the shadows behind Percy. The Olympians gasped bowing quickly, and Percy whirled around before falling to his knees, driven to the ground by the sheer power exuding from the being before him.

"L-Lord Chaos, I meant no disrespect," he began to explain, sweating nervously, but trailed off when Chaos stepped out of the shadows.

You couldn't tell whether Chaos was a man or woman, for (s)he was made up of galaxies, a silhouette of space that was ceaselessly swirling and changing shape, the only constant the two luminescent green eyes that focused on Percy's bowed head.

"I have been watching you closely, young hero," the melodic voice continued, smiling fondly at the young hero before her. "Your time has not come. I foresee many great things ahead of you – of your significance in maintaining the balance of this world, I have no doubt. I encourage you to address your grief, but do not let it consume you – we yet have need of you, young Perseus. Do not fail me."

"N-no, Lady Chaos," Percy stammered, for he suddenly had no doubt that Chaos was indeed a woman, the great Lady of the Universe. Or at least, in this moment, that is what she chose to be. She smiled.

"I will not be able to contact you in this way again, as I only have the strength to physically manifest for a short time every few millennia. I have done so today to give you my blessing," Percy jerked his head up to look at Lady Chaos, a question evident in his eyes.

"I accept, Lady Chaos, this wonderful gift…but may I ask, why me?" Chaos's tone of voice suggested she was smiling as she replied.

"Because, my young hero, you fascinate me. You lack most of the flaws that have taken root in mankind, and have proven yourself to be practically incorruptible. You are selfless, and though you understand the necessity of sacrifice, you strive to ensure that does not have to be. You are truly pure of heart and soul, something that is no easy feat.

I have been watching over you since you were born, shaping and guiding you into becoming who you are today. All of creation is my doing, but there are very few that I choose to carry on my legacy. You are my Chosen One, Perseus Jackson. I have chosen you to be my last true descendant."

The Olympians gaped as Percy's eyes widened, all of them absorbing this information. Before any of them could react, the eyes of Chaos closed and shadows snaked from the swirling galaxy within her. Winding around Percy, they lifted him into the air, swirling around him until they formed a whirling cocoon.

Finally, the tendrils retracted, disappearing back into the depths of Chaos, and Percy dropped to the ground, landing on his knees.

As he panted, gasping for breath, the gods gasped in astonishment. Extending from his back were powerful, glossy black wings with scattered silver, glittering specks that imitated stars. Percy glanced behind him upon hearing the gods' exclamations and froze, staring at his wings in wonder.

As Percy stood shakily, Chaos addressed him once more.

"You are the best hero this world has yet seen, Perseus. I will be watching you. I trust you will not disappoint me," Percy nodded, recovering his wits.

"I will not fail you, My Lady Chaos," Percy proclaimed, and Lady Chaos smiled once more before disappearing, the heaviness in the air vanishing with her. The gods turned to Percy. There was a moment of silence before Zeus spoke.

"Well then, I suppose a decision has been made, and the hero shall live. However, I can't help but feel that…more…is required of this situation, due to certain…circumstances," Zeus cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. Still pale from the encounter with Chaos, his distain for the demigod had seemingly been replaced with a grudging respect, and he gritted his teeth as he spoke his next words.

"Perseus Jackson, I, Lord Zeus, bestow upon you one wish in honor of your, well, situation, along with my blessing to travel in my domain. What is your wish?" The gods exchanged glances, not daring to speak as Percy considered Zeus's offer.

"Lord Zeus, I think that it would prove useful in my efforts to protect Artemis and the hunters for me to be able to change my form. My request is that I may be blessed in such a way to allow me to take on the shape of each of the Olympians' – and Hestia's – sacred animals, that I may be most useful to Lady Artemis and the Hunters." Zeus looked surprised at Percy's choice, as did Artemis and Athena, but consented.

"Very well then. Perseus Jackson, I bless you with the ability to take the form of each of our sacred animals. May it help you and prove useful to you in your endeavors."

As Zeus spoke, a beam of energy shot from his outstretched hands and connected with Percy's chest. Each of the Olympians followed, the force of the energy lifting Percy off the ground. One by one, each of the Olympians cut off their beam, causing Percy to drift back to the ground slowly, off-balance and slightly dazed.

"Those who wish to offer their blessings to Perseus may do so now. This meeting is adjourned." Zeus and Hera flashed out together with a final nod to Percy, much to his relief. He knew he did not want any favors from his least favorite goddess.

Aphrodite approached him first. Percy tensed upon seeing her approach, but relaxed with her first words.

"Percy, I am so sorry about what happened with Annabeth. I know I said I would make your love life difficult, but I never planned this. I can only do so much. This was all her. I would never wish that kind of heartbreak on anyone, especially knowing how much you love, er, loved her. But don't you worry, I will make sure you still get your happily ever after!"

"Oh, you really don't have-" Percy sighed.

"You know what? Thanks, Lady Aphrodite." Percy smiled grimly, resigning himself to the fact that Aphrodite's presence in his love life was something he couldn't control.

"Oh, yes, and my blessing! Of course! I, Aphrodite, bless Perseus Jackson, Hero of Olympus." Percy began to protest, only to be cut off by a blinding light surrounding him. When the light died down, he looked down at himself to find himself wearing a new outfit.

He had on a midnight black shirt with a green Eye of Chaos on it. Within the eye shone the silver moon, which reflected on the ocean. He also had on black jeans with silver chains strung between the front and back pockets.

"Thank you, again," Percy said, turning to Aphrodite.

"Oh, it's no problem really! Those chains are made of a combination of titanium and a godly version of silver, so they are pretty much unbreakable. They can be removed and used as weapons," she giggled.

"But that's not all I blessed you with! Here!" She held up a mirror.

Percy looked into it, and found that the Percy looking back at him looked kind of like him, but an improved version. His eyes seemed brighter, his hair blacker. This Percy had a new haircut, was taller, and had more clearly defined muscles. The slight gap in his teeth was gone, and his hair didn't stick up so much in the back. He was practically flawless.

Hesitantly, he pulled up his shirt to find that instead of the six-pack he had previously had from training, he now had a full eight pack. He hurriedly pulled his shirt down when he noticed Aphrodite staring.

Internally, Percy groaned. Didn't Aphrodite get it? He was done with girls, at least for a little while, and becoming super hot would not help him in the mortal world, or with the huntresses. At all.

She disappeared with a wink and a wave before Percy could protest, and he let out a resigned sigh. Hermes and Apollo approached him next.

"Percy, I'm sorry for everything you've had to go through. And as for my sons, I do need their help but I never…" he trailed off at Percy's raised hand.

"Look, no worries. I understand, though I will say it doesn't hurt to check in on your kids a little more often. Just a suggestion." Hermes looked like he wanted to say more, but nodded.

"Okay then, our blessings," he continued, talking over Percy's protests.

"Percy, I give you my blessing. Basically, that means now you can teleport and summon most common household objects at will." Hermes explained after the slight glowing faded.

"My turn!" Apollo interrupted. 

"Percy, I bless you with the gift of music and awesomeness. No oracle power, and you can't have my poetic genius. But I'll chip in my archery blessing, too. You're gonna need it, what with my little sis and all. Oh yeah, and some healing powers. I have a feeling that might come in handy. And if you treat my sister well, maybe I'll let you drive my car sometime." Apollo offered.

"Thanks Apollo. I have a feeling I'll be needing a little more help than that, but anything helps…Oh, at the risk of being blasted, may I _please_ , for the sake of all us mortals, request better elevator music?" He asked teasingly, earning a stifled laugh from Hermes. Apollo pouted.

"Hey, I picked out that music!" he protested, and Hermes rolled his eyes.

"We know, that's why it sucked. Cough up." He said, holding out his hand and smirking. Apollo slapped a handful of drachma into Hermes's open palm, sulking. Percy raised an eyebrow, and Hermes chuckled at his curiosity.

"We made a bet a decade ago that no one would have the courage to say anything about the elevator music. Glad you finally did, the stuff was horrible, but it was amusing. Anyways, we better be off. Good luck, Percy."

"Thanks guys, I really appreciate it." Percy grinned, and Apollo winked at him before both gods flashed out.

"You have guts, boy."

Percy turned to see Hephaestus staring down at him.

"I'm sorry about what happened with that girl. I can see she meant a lot to you." Looking over at Aphrodite's throne, he sighed.

"It's hard letting a girl you love go, but if there's one thing I've learned is that if it's the right girl, she'll come around." Percy nodded his thanks.

"If you ever need a favor, don't be afraid to ask. It's the least I can do," Hephaestus said with one last pat on the shoulder, before he too flashed out.

Hades wandered over to reluctantly assure him about his parents. They apparently hadn't arrived in the Underworld yet, but he promised to have Charon keeping an eye out for them in the lobby, and agreed that the drachma Percy handed him would cover the cost of their crossing. He grudgingly swore to reserve them a place in Elysium, and a glimmer of sympathy appeared in his eyes when Percy thanked him deeply.

Dionysus finally admitted that maybe he was wrong, and that maybe Percy was a hero after all. He finally said his name right, and blessed him with the gift of partying, whatever that meant.

Ares growled at him but lifted the curse he had placed on Percy when they first met before flashing out. Percy figured that was as good as he was going to get.

Athena walked over and blessed him with the gift of tactics and battle strategy. Then they shook hands awkwardly before Athena left as well.

Hestia approached next.

"Percy, I know what you have been through. I shall not offer my condolences, though I do grieve for you. Instead, I have a different offer. You gave me Elphis to guard during the Titan War. You trusted me, and said I was the Last Olympian. You returned to me my throne, and for that, I am eternally thankful. I would like to offer you the position of being my champion, though you are under no pressure to accept."

Unsure, Percy looked over at Artemis, who was waiting impatiently off to the side, for permission. She nodded her consent, and he bowed slightly in thanks.

"I would be honored, Lady Hestia," he replied with a bow. Hestia smiled.

"Very well then. Perseus Jackson, Savior of Olympus, Guardian of the Hunt, Defeater of Gaea, Son of Poseidon, and Hero of the Gods, I here by name you my champion. I give you my blessing." When Hestia finished, Percy started to glow.

A gold aura surrounded him, and he floated off the ground a few inches. He closed his eyes, and when he reopened them, they flashed a warm orange before returning to their original sea green. He turned to Hestia, flexing his arms and grinning.

"So what cool new powers do I have?" he chuckled slightly, beginning to recover from the horror of the last two days. Hestia smiled warmly.

"Percy, my blessing entitles you to a portion of each of my godly powers, but on a lesser scale. You now have an elementary control over fire, can summon and prepare food at will, can transport people to their homes or to the original hearth, which is here, and the ability to light your eyes on fire, if you so choose." Hestia listed with an amused expression. Percy grinned.

"I can make my eyes into flames?" he asked excitedly. Hestia chuckled.

"Of course that's the one you focus on," she laughed, hugging him one last time. "I hope to see you soon, my champion."

"Of course, Lady Hestia," Percy replied, smiling as Hestia returned to her place at the hearth. Now all that was left was his father and Artemis.

Poseidon approached.

"My son, my gift is that I bless you with a more powerful control over water. I shall not tell you what this allows you to do with your powers, for that you must find out on your own. I am proud of you, my son," Poseidon attempted to smile at Percy, pulling him into a hug.

"I'm proud of you, Percy, and know, no matter what, you will always have a place at my palace, as the rightful Prince of the Sea." Poseidon said seriously, looking at Percy, pride shining in his eyes through his tears.

Percy nodded, sobering as his grief overpowered him once more. He could see that his mom's death was hitting Poseidon as hard as it was hitting him.

"Thanks, Dad," the two men hugged for another minute, before Poseidon clapped Percy on the shoulder and flashed out. Percy understood – they each needed time to mourn. Now it was just Percy and Artemis.

"Come Perseus, we have work to do," Artemis said briskly, flashing out. For a moment, Percy stared at the empty spot where she had been standing. Then he humphed.

"Sure, leave the new guy behind, no problem," Percy grumbled, before he too concentrated on his newly acquired powers and teleported off of Olympus.

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed my story!**

 **This is my own version of the typical "Percy gets cheated on by Annabeth and goes to the gods to die but gets cool powers and becomes Guardian of the Hunt and falls in love with Artemis yay," so I tried to make it more realistic while sticking to that general theme, which is why some things (like Percy going to the gods to die) might be a little out of character and thus hard to believe.**

 **I did my best to make it realistic, and I appreciate your feedback! Thanks so much!**

 **-MusickMage**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Percy teleported to the entrance of the Empire State Building, where Artemis was waiting for him. Her arms were crossed, her foot tapping impatiently.

"Come, Perseus. We have made camp just outside the city, as my Hunters were waiting for me to finish with the Solstice meeting. Meet me there, but fly instead of teleporting. Hover above camp until I signal you to land. That way, I have time to prepare the girls for your arrival. Most will not take it well."

Percy nodded. "As you wish, My Lady," he started to bow, but was stopped by Artemis waving her hand.

"You do not need to bow, Perseus," she told him sternly. Percy looked confused.

"But…won't Hunters expect me to show you 'proper' respect? They already hate me enough, I wouldn't want to give them another reason. So if you don't want me to bow, what should I do?" he questioned. Artemis looked surprised.

"Well, whatever you choose is fine, just not bowing," she replied, waving her hand dismissively.

"Okay, but why not?" Percy asked. Artemis shrugged.

"It is just so overused. It seems so…insincere," she supplied, then seemed to realize who she was talking to and became cold once more.

"But I do not have to explain myself to the likes of you," she snapped. Percy raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not, My Lady. If you think bowing is insincere, then I guess I'll just have to find a way to express my sincerity," he resolved. Artemis blinked at him.

"Very well. I shall meet you at the camp. Pray this goes well." Percy smiled cheekily.

"I already am. I'm talking to you, aren't I?" he smirked. Artemis stared at him coldly, but Percy could have sworn he saw a flicker of amusement in her eyes before she disappeared.

Percy ducked into an alley, making sure the coast was clear before extending his wings and taking off. Almost immediately, he felt a small pressure in the back of his mind, prodding him towards the edge of the city. Instinctively, he followed it, recognizing that it would lead him to Artemis and the Hunt.

Percy grinned to himself, thinking that it must be a power given to the Guardian to help him protect the Hunt. Cool. He wondered what other new powers he had.

****LINE BREAK****

Percy was flying above the Hunter's camp, waiting for Artemis's signal. He could see the Hunters gathered in front of her silver figure, but couldn't hear what they were saying without getting closer.

Swooping down, Percy hid behind a tall pine tree, landing awkwardly on a branch so the sound of his wings flapping wouldn't give him away. He could vaguely hear Artemis speaking due to the enhanced hearing that he assumed had come with one of the blessings, though he couldn't remember which. She was telling them about the meeting. Good, he hadn't missed much. He listened closer.

****LINE BREAK****

Artemis was explaining what had happened during the meeting to her Hunters, and was just getting to how it concluded.

"Did anything _productive_ happen at the meeting?" Phoebe asked impatiently.

"Well…girls, I have some important news. It affects all of you, so listen closely. And please, save any comments or judgments until the end." The Hunters shifted around, muttering among themselves.

"During the meeting, a hero came to the gods with a request. He asked for us to kill him," the Hunters had varying reactions, some shocked at the hero's boldness but most tittering at his cowardliness.

"Don't judge him too harshly, girls. He explained how, in his mind, he had nothing left to live for. His mortal family was killed, he felt himself guilty for not only their deaths but countless others throughout these past few years, he felt his usefulness to the gods and Camp Half-Blood had come to an end, and finally, his girlfriend, who he was preparing to propose to, broke his heart," Artemis explained amidst muted clucks of pity. She continued.

"I know you each joined my Hunt for a variety of reasons, but the majority of you joined because of a betrayal from a man. Well, this time, it is a man who has been betrayed by a woman. Most of you can understand how this feels."

This statement was met by reluctant nods of consent all around.

"In order to save this hero, a man who has done the gods a great service, I agreed to offer him a position that has never been occupied. As Mistress of the Hunt, I am entitled to one Lieutenant, as well as one Guardian. Today, the position of Guardian of the Hunt has been fulfilled. This hero shall be with us at all times, and has sworn by the most binding oath possible to protect us from any and all harm. You are to accept him and treat him as you would your sisters. Am I clear?" Artemis's speech was met by a few reluctant nods and many loud protests.

"Lady Artemis, you can't possibly let a man into the Hunt when that is precisely why we agreed to join you, to escape men forever. We have sworn off of them!" One of the newer Hunters, Arietta, protested.

"Just as he has sworn off women – at least for the time being. I can assure you, if he shows even the slightest indication of romantic interest towards any of you, I will personally turn him into a guinea pig."

Percy paled from his perch in the tree, and he could see the slight twitch of Artemis's mouth as she voiced the threat. How had she known about that?

"He is under strict orders to respect and protect each and every one of you, and I expect you to do the same. He will be here soon, and I expect him to be welcomed into our camp, just as each of you were." Artemis finalized.

****LINE BREAK****

Percy recognized that Artemis was signaling him to come down, and had an idea. Thinking back to Aphrodite's blessing, he wished for a cloak to cover his face. Within seconds, one had materialized around him.

The cloak was midnight black, with a hood that could be pulled low enough to shield his eyes from view, yet still magically allowed him see out. The cloak flowed to his ankles, flapping silently in the wind, but had slits in the back for his wings. He smiled. Now he was ready.

Launching off his branch and into the air, he angled his wings into a steep dive and aimed at the ground directly behind Artemis, flying at such a speed that the Hunters saw only a black blur streaking down from the heavens.

Percy hit the ground with a loud BOOM, sending a cloud of dust and dirt up around him. With his hood covering his face, and therefore hiding his identity, he slowly stood, wings still extended. He radiated power, and the Hunters quickly hid their surprise and awe behind scowls. A few of the girls had even drawn their bows, but relaxed at a gesture from Artemis.

Percy took three quick steps to Artemis, who crossed her arms and quirked an eyebrow, before retracting his wings into his back, crossing one arm across his chest, and inclining his head.

"My Lady," he said mysteriously, and Artemis had to make an effort not to roll her eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked, mildly amused despite the stern expression she wore.

"I am expressing my respect for you through a way other then bowing," Percy replied, trying not to smile. Artemis felt her lip twitch, and was about to reply before she was interrupted.

"Who are you?" Thalia asked boldly, stepping forward. Under his hood, Percy's face swiveled towards her, and a wide grin broke across his face.

"What, don't recognize your own cousin, Thals?" Percy chuckled, his voice instantly changing from a deep, serious tone to a much lighter, teasing one. A look of confusion crossed Thalia's face.

"Oh come on, Pinecone Face-"

"I think it is time to reveal your self, Guardian," Artemis interrupted, looking at him pointedly.

Chuckling sheepishly, Percy complied, unclasping the cloak and letting it fall to the ground. Small gasps rippled through the Hunters ranks.

"PERCY!" Thalia tackled him, hugging him tightly.

"What are you doing here? What about Annabeth?" her face paled, and her eyes widened as she remembered what Artemis had told them.

"Oh my gods, Percy, tell me you didn't really go to the gods and ask them to kill you?! You idiotic, barnacle brained, reckless Kelp Head! How stupid are you?!" she raged.

"Thalia, what he did was his choice and his alone, it is up to him to share with you what he wants to," Artemis reprimanded shortly.

"Of course, My Lady. " Thalia ground out through clenched teeth, flushing slightly at the reprimand. "However, will all due respect, as his cousin, I reserve the right to tell him when those choices are stupid and yell at him for it."

Artemis smiled slightly at her Lieutenant's spirited response, but raised a warning eyebrow. Thalia sighed.

"Sorry, Percy. Just…what happened?" Thalia questioned. Percy grimaced, and Thalia backtracked.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I understand. It's just that when I left, you were so happy, and now…" Thalia trailed off, scrutinizing Percy's face.

"And now…what?" he questioned. Thalia's electric blue eyes locked with his.

"Have you seen yourself lately Percy? Your eyes...it's like there's nothing behind them. Like you're empty inside," she said sadly. Percy swallowed, unable to answer her when she was looking at him like that.

"You deserve to know why I made my choice," he told her, then turned towards the hunters and addressed the group as a whole.

"All of you do. If we're supposed to be family, then I won't keep secrets."

The Hunters collectively glared at him, radiating hostility, but some also looked surprised at his honesty.

"You see, yesterday was my ex-girlfriend-,"

"That girl who was used as bait to trap My Lady? The one who held the sky? The Official Architect of Olympus?" one of the younger Hunters questioned. Percy looked pained, but nodded and continued.

"Yes. Well, yesterday was my ex-girlfriend and my 3 year anniversary, and she dumped me. I went to see my parents and found them d-dead," Percy stumbled over the word, but kept going, "killed by some monster. I had nothing left. So I went to the gods to die. They offered me this position, and I accepted."

Once he was finished, Percy looked at each of the girls as if awaiting a verdict, pain evident in his eyes.

The Hunters were quiet. Never before had they heard of a man's heart being broken by a woman, only of men being the heartbreakers. This new revelation puzzled them. They didn't quite understand how to treat him, so they acted cautiously.

"So…what should we do now, My Lady?" Hadley asked.

"Why don't you start by introducing yourselves?" Artemis suggested, and the Hunters fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I'm Hadley," the girl who had spoken started, stepping forward, "and I'm 14 years old. My sisters are Arianna, who is 16, Kaelyn, 13, Anya, 12, Calista or Cali, 7, Luna, 8, Arietta or Ari, 17, Jenna, 11, Alexis or Lexi, 6, Skylar, 13, Kiara, 15, Ally, 5, Kate, 16, Lydia, 12, and Phoebe, 17. You obviously already know Thalia."

Percy smiled at the brunette, hoping that the icy front the Hunters all put up was beginning to melt.

"Straight to the point – I like it," he joked, and Hadley looked at him suspiciously before turning away with a small 'humph'.

Percy slumped a little, disheartened by her reaction. He shook it off, realizing it was going to take a lot more than a joke to get the Hunters to warm up to him, and was about to ask Artemis a question when he noticed a small figure watching him.

The smallest of the girls, a tiny brunette with big blue doe eyes who barely reached Percy's hip, was staring at him boldly. He could see no hostility in her eyes, only curiosity, so he slowly walked over and kneeled down in front of her.

"Hello. What's your name?" he asked quietly. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she glanced at Artemis for reassurance before ducking her head shyly.

"Ally," she murmured, so softly that Percy could barely hear her. He smiled.

"Well, Ally, I think you could be my little sister! I mean, you look just like me!" Percy winked at her, and she bit her lip.

The Hunters looked at him skeptically. Ally didn't resemble Percy at all. She had startlingly blue eyes, and straight hair that was light brown in color. She looked up at him through long brown lashes.

"I do?" she asked softly.

"You do." Percy reassured her.

"May I have the honor of being your new big brother?" he asked solemnly, taking her hand and kissing the back of it gallantly. Ally studied him for a moment before nodding slowly, a barely evident smile creeping across her face.

"Great!" Percy exclaimed enthusiastically, swinging her up into his arms, causing her to gasp slightly before giggling a little. She latched her arms around his neck, causing Percy's smile to grow wider despite the other Hunters muttering unhappily among themselves.

He had always had a soft spot for children, and Annabeth had always teased him about how easily he won them over, while she had to work to convince them she wasn't as scary as she looked. Percy grimaced at the reminder of Annabeth, and turned back to Artemis to distract himself.

"So, when do I begin, My Lady?" he asked impishly, much more enthusiastic now that he had a little friend.

Artemis smirked.

"Oh, right now, Guardian. You may start by cooking our dinner, since it is getting late, and then you may do the laundry, collect the arrows from the target range, and sharpen them." Percy groaned internally, setting Ally back down on the ground.

"Okay then," he grumbled, "Better get started. What do you want to eat?"

Remembering his new powers, Percy concentrated and summoned a pen and paper from thin air, making the Hunters jump in surprise.

"Percy, how…?" Thalia demanded, but Percy merely winked and began writing as the girls gave their orders.

The girls described what they wanted, their choices ranging from hamburgers to fondue to roasted duck to lobster. They ordered drinks, sides, desserts, everything you could think of, smirking at the thought of Percy slaving away for hours to prepare it all and inevitably failing miserably.

"And for you, My Lady?" Percy asked wearily, turning to Artemis. He glanced down at his almost full pad and winced.

"I shall have a plate of ambrosia and a glass of nectar, if you will, Perseus," she requested. Percy nodded, writing it down sloppily.

"Geez, you guys sure can eat," he muttered to himself, taking one last look at the notepad before stashing it in his pocket and facing the table.

Closing his eyes and concentrating, Percy prayed to Hestia to help him summon the feast the girls had requested. He focused on the warmth growing inside him until he felt it was strong enough, then snapped his fingers, everything the girls had ordered instantly appearing on the table.

He stumbled slightly, sweaty and trembling from the amount of energy it had taken to conjure so much food, but the Hunters were too busy gaping at the food to notice.

The girls raced each other to the table, each finding their requested meal with an individualized name card in front of it. Artemis was at the head of one end of the table, and Percy sat at the other. Thalia sat to Artemis's right, eyeing Percy as she tried to figure out where his new powers had come from, while Phoebe took her place on Artemis's left.

To his delight, the youngest Hunters – Cali, Alexis, Luna, and Ally – were seated at Percy's end of the table, and he had them giggling uncontrollably within minutes.

"So, Perseus," Artemis called from the other side of the table, causing the conversations around the table to end as the girls all turned to listen. Percy looked up, chuckling.

"Yes, My Lady?" he replied, discreetly poking Cali under the table and causing her to giggle softly.

"I was wondering just how many blessings you received from the other gods and goddesses at the meeting, as I was not able to see them all," she commented offhandedly, sipping at her nectar indifferently. Percy smirked.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, smirking. "It might take awhile."

Artemis's eyes narrowed, and she nodded brusquely.

"All right then, where to start?" he asked.

"Your choice, Guardian," Artemis replied, motioning to him. Percy shrugged.

"Alright, well, starting with Lord Zeus, he granted me one wish, and I chose the power to shape-shift into any of the Olympian's sacred animals. My Dad somehow increased my demigod powers, and Lord Hades promised my parents a place in Elysium. I'm extremely grateful to him for that.

"Uh, Aphrodite blessed me with new clothes whenever I want, and um, I guess also messed with how I look. Apollo gave me the gift of 'awesomeness,' healing, and music, as well as a small archery blessing. Hermes blessed me with travel and packing, so I can teleport at will and can summon common household objects."

"Like the pen and paper?" Thalia clarified, and Percy nodded.

"Yeah, small stuff like that. Where was I? Oh yeah, Dionysus blessed me with the gift of 'partying', whatever that means, and Hephaestus said to call him up if I ever needed a favor. Ares finally lifted the curse he put on me when I beat him in a fight during my first quest-"

"Wait, what?!" Thalia and a few older huntresses interrupted. Percy ignored them and continued.

"Um, okay, then Athena blessed me with battle tactics and strategy, and then Hestia asked me to be her champion and gave me control over fire, cooking, and the hearth. So you can thank her for dinner tonight. And…yeah, that's about it." He finished hesitantly, trying to make sure he hadn't forgotten any.

"What?" he asked after a minute of silence, realizing they were all staring at him.

"Are you sure there's nothing else, Guardian?" Artemis asked, looking pointedly at the wings draped over the back of his chair. Percy flushed.

"Oh, yeah, and Lady Chaos's blessing. That's where I got the wings." He offered, slightly embarrassed from all the attention.

"C-Chaos? What?!" Thalia choked, and Percy grinned sheepishly.

"Um…it turns out I'm Chaos's 'Chosen One,' or something, so I'm her last remaining descendant? And I have her blessing?" Percy said questioningly.

His statement was met with astonished stares and an amused chuckle from Artemis, who was enjoying Percy's discomfort. The Hunters all stared at him for a while, before slowly returning to their food and resuming their conversations, much to Percy's relief.

That is, all except for Thalia, who caught Percy's eye with a death glare and gestured with her fork as she mouthed, "You. Me. Talk. Later." Percy swallowed nervously and turned back to the little girls beside him who were asking to pet his wings.

 **A/N: Thanks so much everyone! Hope you liked it, and thank you to everyone who reviewed! Reviews are always appreciated – they inspire me to update faster! Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

A little while later, after the conversation had finally returned to a normal volume, Percy leaned over to his right and smiled at Ally.

"So, what did you want for dessert, Ally-Cat?" he teased, remembering that she hadn't ordered any and determined to spoil her. She stopped bouncing up and down in her seat and looked down at her hands.

"Well…can I have a cupcake? It's my birthday but I didn't tell anyone 'cause it's not a big deal," she said shyly, playing with the hem of her shirt.

"What?! Of COURSE it's a big deal!" Percy exclaimed loudly, outraged.

He lifted Ally from her chair and onto his shoulders as he stood up, and she giggled as she wrapped her arms around his head to keep from falling off. She had taken to him quite quickly – his relaxed nature, silly jokes, and easily won affection had endeared him to all the little girls.

The table had quieted down at Percy's outburst and the Hunters were all glaring at him. Unfazed, he merely grinned.

"Today is a very special day!" he announced goofily, causing several Hunters to scowl at him while others, including Thalia, rolled their eyes at his antics.

"And what makes the occasion where we become stuck with _you_ special?" a Hunter named Skylar sneered.

Percy's grin faltered for a moment, and he looked at the black-haired girl with a frown. He glared down at the table, angry with the Hunters for refusing to even give him a chance, but was distracted by Cali waving at him, smiling with a small gap in her teeth from a missing tooth. He couldn't help smiling back, and added a wink that sent her into yet another fit of giggles.

"Er, well, actually, I was talking about the fact that it's Ally-Cat's birthday today!" Percy exclaimed with renewed excitement, pointing up to the little girl on his shoulders.

"I'd be 6 today," she revealed shyly. The Hunters looked shocked that they hadn't known that it was her birthday, and a few looked stricken with guilt for overlooking the youngest member of the Hunt.

Percy removed Ally from his shoulders and set her down so she was standing on his chair, then looked into her eyes.

"Well, that deserves something special, doesn't it?" he asked, smiling at her. She cautiously nodded back, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Alrighty then. What's your favorite color?" he asked her. She looked at him, confused, before answering with a barely audible, "Pink." He winked at her.

"Perfect! Then it's time to celebrate!" Percy announced, before concentrating and clapping his hands.

Instantly, drinks, snacks, and a tower of pink cupcakes, the topmost one with a candle sticking out of it, replaced the empty plates on the table.

A pink tablecloth covered the table, and there were pink streamers, pink confetti, and pink balloons everywhere. The little girls squealed in delight and ran to the balloons, untying a couple from the paperweights in order to play with them. Percy turned up the volume of a speaker and an iPod that had also appeared on the table, and bent down next to Ally, who was looking around in awe.

"What do you think? Do you like it?" he asked her.

She nodded slowly at first, then faster as a smile spread across her face. She threw her arms around Percy's neck, whispering a thank you into his ear.

"I've never had a birthday party before," she admitted shyly, and the excitement in her voice broke his heart.

"Well, you better get used to it, because I'm your big brother now, and it's my job to make you feel special, okay Ally-Cat? Now go have fun with your sisters," he grinned, gently pushing her towards the girls with the balloons.

He watched her run over to her sisters and grab a balloon to play with, smiling at her antics. She already had him wrapped around her little finger. He meandered over to the iPod and began to create a playlist, happy to play DJ while the others enjoyed the party.

After a good number of songs, long after the younger girls had given up on the balloons and were now dancing around the clearing, Percy sensed a presence behind him. Turning, he found Artemis watching the younger girls too.

"My Lady," he greeted nervously. He was suddenly aware that he had done all this without her permission.

"I'm sorry I didn't ask you about the whole party thing, I kind of forgot, and I just wanted-"

"Relax, Perseus. I wasn't exactly pleased at first, but I came over here to thank you," she interrupted. He blinked in astonishment.

"What for?" he asked. Artemis sighed.

"Ally has always been shy. She has been with us for only half a year, and still I do not know much about her other then she is extremely good at archery and loves the color pink. I don't know who her godly parent is, and none of us even knew it was her birthday," she revealed, her lips pursed.

"This is the first time I've seen her so happy. And though I don't understand her sudden attachment to you, I am glad for it," she admitted reluctantly.

"Thank you, My Lady. I know it is…difficult…for you to say so, and it means a lot," Percy said graciously. There was a brief silence.

"If you don't mind me asking, why do you have such young girls in your Hunt?" Percy asked curiously. "I thought you only allowed girls between 13 and 17 to join."

Artemis tensed, ready to defend her choice, but softened when she realized there was no accusation behind Percy's question.

"Calista is Lydia's little sister, and when their mother died, Lydia decided to join us. They had no other family, and Lydia refused to leave Cali behind, so I agreed that she could travel with the Hunt until she was old enough to decide if she wanted to join us or not. They are both daughters of Apollo." Percy nodded in understanding.

He could see the resemblance, as both girls had startlingly blue eyes. Cali had her father's blonde hair, which formed loosely curled ringlets that hung around her shoulders, but Lydia had what Percy assumed must have been her mother's straight, brown hair.

"Luna is a descendant of Selene, and Jenna is a daughter of Hecate. They came to us together. Jenna had been looking after them both for a while after they met on the run. Neither of their mortal parents cared for them, so they both ran away from home. They ran into the path a monster we were hunting, and Jenna joined us once we saved them. As I hadn't been able to refuse Cali, I extended the same offer to Luna. Obviously, she accepted."

Percy watched the two girls interact with their sisters as Artemis described them, pointing the girls out among the crowd of silver-clad Hunters.

Luna, quite obviously a daughter of Selene, had silvery blonde hair that cascaded down her back. Her skin was as pale as the moon, and her eyes were the color of the night sky; a small, silver crescent seemed to reside in the pupils. Her smile was as bright as a star, and she carried herself with a grace befitting a queen, even at the age of 8.

Jenna, on the other hand, had jet-black hair and violet eyes. She had delicate features, yet her eyes told a different story. The aura around her crackled with energy when she concentrated her powers, which Percy saw as she magically conjured a gift-wrapped present for Ally.

He watched as she created more gifts, listening carefully as her sisters described them and then magically creating them out of thin air. Luna stood beside her, feeding her small bits of nectar as Jenna's face drained of color from the effort. All of this was done quietly and discreetly, so that Ally didn't notice.

"Alexis came to us with the guidance of her mother, Athena. Alexis's father died when she was 3, and she had been living with an absolutely horrid older stepbrother for years before she ran away. When she found us, we had no choice but to take her in," Artemis explained, looking over at the younger girl fondly.

Percy followed her gaze, watching as Alexis doubled over laughing, her blonde curls falling in her face and covering her grey eyes that were sparkling with delight.

"As for Ally…we found her unconscious in an alleyway, beaten, bruised, and with a drunkard passed out next to her," Artemis gritted her teeth, practically spitting out her words.

As the image formed in Percy's head, he had to clench his hands into fists to keep from punching something, and he was shaking from the effort of remaining calm. Looking over towards the blue-eyed brunette, Artemis continued the story, her voice tight with anger.

"She doesn't seem to remember what happened to her, and we'd like to keep it that way, but regardless, she is very reserved. This is the only time I've ever seen her so carefree," Artemis said, looking at Percy pointedly. Percy smiled back softly, happy to have helped.

Percy looked around, observing the girls having a good time. Thalia had convinced the older girls to dance, and was attempting to teach some of them more modern dance moves while Arianna and Kate waltzed formally. He grinned as he watched them, then turned his thoughts inward.

After thinking for a few minutes, he grinned, pleased with himself, before concentrating his powers to create the perfect present for Ally.

****LINE BREAK****

"PRESENT TIME!" Percy bellowed over the music, sometime later in the evening. Thalia turned off the music, and the girls quickly scrambled to grab their presents from where they had hidden them before gathering in front of the empty table where Percy was waiting with Ally.

Ally blinked at them all in astonishment.

"Wha-what do you mean?" she asked hesitantly, gazing up at all of them.

"Silly, you didn't think we were going to let you go present-less on your birthday, did you?" Percy teased, poking her gently in the stomach. Ally giggled lightly before looking down at her shoes bashfully.

"I've never gotten a present before," she admitted quietly, tugging at her hair. Percy's heart broke for the tiny girl in front of him, his anger at what Artemis had told him about Ally's past rising to the surface, but he forced it down and smiled.

"Well then, we're going to change that, aren't we?" he asked the girls. They all nodded in agreement, albeit grudgingly.

"Alright, who's first?" Percy asked. Phoebe stepped up, a medium sized box in her hand.

"Here you go, Squirt. Happy Birthday," she smiled, one corner of her mouth quirking up as she handed Ally her present and ruffled her hair.

Ally thanked her quietly before gently tugging at the ribbon, slowly unwrapping the gift. So slowly, in fact, that Percy got impatient.

"Ally, you don't have to save the paper – just rip it all up, like this!" He told her, demonstrating by ripping off a huge chunk of the silver paper. Ally watched him carefully before taking a chunk and ripping it off.

"There you go!" Percy encouraged, and Ally ripped off all the paper with growing enthusiasm, finally getting to the box and opening it.

Inside the box was a silver shirt, size small. Percy was surprised to recognize it – it was a smaller version of the collectible Hunter's shirt the Stoll brothers had pranked Phoebe with before the quest to rescue Artemis.

She had obviously tried to wash it out, shrinking it in the process. It was quite a generous gift, as Percy knew Phoebe had been really fond of that shirt. Ally was squealing with excitement, pulling it on over her Hunter's uniform.

Running up to Phoebe, she threw herself at her, wrapping her arms around her legs and gazing up at her with joy-filled eyes.

"Thank you, Phoebe. I love it," she smiled. Phoebe smiled back, ruffling her hair again.

"No problem Al. Glad you like it," she replied gruffly.

"I'll go next," Arietta announced, standing up. She proceeded to hand Ally her gift, which turned out to be a hair comb decorated with silver flowers that turned into a dagger, similar to the one Bianca had found in the junkyard of the gods all those years ago – though if Percy remembered correctly, that one had turned into a bow. He swallowed a lump in his throat at the thought.

Following Arietta was Arianna, who gave Ally a small silver pouch that attached to her belt and was enchanted to always have a few drachmas in it.

Kate gave Ally a small prism that she could use to make a rainbow and Iris Message anyone in the blink of an eye, which Ally placed carefully in the purse.

Ciara gave Ally a new quiver of specially designed arrows, and Hadley followed up with a new, intricately carved bow.

Kaelyn presented Ally with a pink stuffed unicorn, which Ally loved and hung onto the rest of the night.

Skylar's present to Ally was a flute that would call any bird or small woodland creature that was nearby, which Ally had to test out and so made friends with a chickadee and a rabbit that had been hiding in a bush nearby.

Anya's gift was a pair of moon boots, which were basically a pair of boots with springs on the bottom. Percy remembered seeing something like them on TV once, but these shoes were magically enhanced – demigod style – so they allowed Ally to jump up to 20 feet into the air, causing her to shriek with amusement. (Although Percy just about had a heart attack watching her.)

Lydia drew a miniature lyre from behind her back and taught Ally how to play a few notes, much to her delight.

Jenna had concocted a special, sparkly nail polish that changed color and pattern according to Ally's outfit and mood, which Ally immediately put on and was delighted to find really worked. (Presently, it was pink.)

Luna gave Ally a silver flower that Percy immediately recognized as moonlace, wondering where she had gotten it. Ally declared it the prettiest flower she had ever seen and immediately planted it in the enchanted pot Cali had decorated for her, before running to her tent to put it next to her bed.

When she returned, Alexis presented Ally with a beautifully crafted silver carving. Using some magical silver substance, Lexi had used her designing skills to draw the image of a wolf pup curled around the base of a small tree, in which a small owl sat. The moon was partially hidden behind some branches, and a bow leaned against the trunk.

Percy realized that Jenna must have conjured the carving for Lexi based on the designs, and was quite impressed with both of them.

"Me next," Thalia insisted, coming forward with a tiny box. Ally opened it to find a small silver ring inside. Engraved on it over and over again was the word 'sister'.

"Happy Birthday, Ally," Thalia grinned as she held up her hand, showing off the same ring, only in a bigger size.

Ally's grin widened further as she watched each of her sisters raise their hands, showing her the same ring. Ally hugged Thalia tightly, thanking her profusely, to which Thalia responded by smiling and mussing Ally's hair playfully.

"Ally, may I present my gift now?" Artemis asked, holding something behind her back.

Ally nodded excitedly, bouncing up and down with anticipation.

Smiling, Artemis drew out from behind her a wolf pup, a small ball of wiggling white fur. Ally squealed in excitement, causing the pup to leap out of Artemis's hands and bound over to her, licking her face excitedly.

"I love him, I love him! Thank you, Lady Artemis!" she exclaimed happily, laughing at the feeling of the pup's tongue on her cheek.

"Each of my huntresses receives a wolf pup after their first year of service. I know you are not yet old enough to take the oath, but I thought you deserved a friend of your own. It is up to you what to name him, and we will help you train him and take care of him until you are able to yourself." Artemis explained.

"What are you going to name him?" Anya asked, and Ally's eyebrows drew together as she thought about it.

Her eyes roamed as she thought carefully, before they landed on Percy and she smiled happily.

"I know! I'm going to name him Kyrios, or Ky for short," she announced proudly. Artemis nodded in approval.

"'Guardian'. It is befitting of him," she remarked.

"I named him after Percy, because Percy is our Guardian," Ally explained. Her comment warmed Percy's heart, and his smile widened.

Ally was beaming with such pride that Percy couldn't help but chuckle. He bent down to her level.

"I believe it's my turn," he told her, and Ally's expression could barely contain her excitement.

The other Hunters and Artemis watched him curiously. A few of the girls turned to Jenna, who shrugged to show she didn't provide the gift, and they turned back to Percy, intrigued.

Opening his hands, Percy revealed a small, stunning silver bracelet. Hanging from a delicate silver chain were a silver crescent, a tiny trident, a silvery-blue seashell, a small crystal, and silver 'A," and a blue-green ribbon was threaded through the links in the chain. Ally immediately had Percy clasp it on her wrist, admiring it, and Percy smiled.

"Hold the moon charm between your first finger and thumb," he suggested mischievously.

Ally did, and immediately after she let go, the bracelet glowed with a blue-green aura. The bracelet began to sparkle, elongating and turning into a hunting horn. Ally stared at it in astonishment.

At the same time, Percy stood and whistled – a nice, loud, New York taxi-call whistle – and two pegasi flew down from the sky.

Once they landed, Percy bent down and whispered into Ally's ear. She immediately broke out into a smile and nodded vigorously. Percy stood up, smiling, and proceeded to explain his gifts to the bewildered Hunters.

"Ally, this is a special hunting horn, that, when sounded, will send out a signal. Only sound it when the Hunt, Artemis, or yourself are in immediate danger, and help will come.

"The other charms on your bracelet have special powers too. The trident charm transforms into an Ally-sized trident. The seashell will call any nearby help, whether it turns out to be merman, hippocampi, or naiad, from the closest water source. Whoever or whatever it calls will aid you in any way they can.

"The crystal will create an insta-rainbow, making it easy for you to IM anyone you may need to in case you lose your new prism. The 'A'…well, the A does something extra special, but don't use it until you know it's the right time, okay? I promise, when it's time for you to use it, you'll know." Ally nodded vigorously, smiling hugely.

"Secondly, this is my loyal friend, Blackjack the pegasus. He and his wife had a daughter, a baby pegasus named Laela, which means loyalty. She has agreed to be your friend and noble steed as Blackjack is mine, and his wife is for Anna-er, someone who I used to be close to." Percy interrupted himself, a flash of pain showing in his eyes before they returned to normal.

Ally was stunned into silence, standing frozen for a heartbeat before throwing her arms around Percy and thanking him profusely. Percy smiled and returned her hug.

"It's no problem Ally-cat, really. I just want you to enjoy your special day," he chuckled, squeezing her tightly as she nestled her head comfortably under his chin.

Percy felt a lump in his throat from the apparent affection Ally had for him – even the Little Ones at Camp Half-Blood hadn't been this attached to him, and he had helped train them for years. He already felt protective of the small girl in his arms, and knew she already had him under her spell.

The Hunters and Artemis watched the scene with various reactions.

Artemis looked like she was having an argument with herself in her head. Thalia was smiling widely, happy that both her little sister and her cousin were getting along.

The older Huntresses were watching with looks of disapproval, but some of them seemed to be softening as they watched Ally's face light up with happiness.

The little girls, on the other hand, weren't paying attention at all, and instead were huddled together whispering. At least, they were until Percy spotted them over Ally's shoulder.

"What's that you have there, girls?" he asked, prying Ally off of him gently. The little girls whipped around, their expressions sheepish as they hid something behind their backs.

"It's a surprise for Ally!" Cali piped up, and Lexi hurriedly shushed her. Percy raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? And what kind of surprise might that be?" he asked, winking at them.

The girls giggled conspiratorially and pulled out the giant cupcake that had been on the top of the cupcake tower. Now it had a glowing silver candle in it, and the girls carefully held it out to Ally.

"Happy Birthday to you…" they chorused, and soon all the Hunters were singing. Artemis watched with a small smile as Ally smiled shyly from where she was hiding behind Percy's leg.

After they finished, everyone clapped, and Percy made an exaggerated effort to catch Ally as she ran around his legs, ending the chase by pretending to trip himself and lying on his back while Ally giggled from her perch on his stomach. Percy merely smiled and began to tickle the little girl into oblivion before Artemis interrupted by clearing her throat.

Percy froze from his spot on the ground, and in one swift movement had scooped Ally up in his arms and stood, setting her down in front of him lightly.

"Yes, My Lady?" he asked respectfully, although he winked at Ally when he thought Artemis wasn't paying attention.

"Perseus, as grateful as I am that you threw this impromptu party for Ally, you have duties to attend to. It is getting late, and it is time for my Huntresses to get to bed. We break camp in the morning." Percy nodded.

"Of course My Lady," he replied, inclining his head with his arm across his chest.

He then clapped his hands, and the mess of empty plates, shredded gift-wrap, and popped balloons all disappeared. The only thing left was one paperweight with 6 pink balloons tied to it, as a reminder of Ally's special day. The huntresses all drifted off to get ready for bed, the younger ones lingering while the older Hunters scattered.

"Night, Perce," Thalia called as she waltzed towards her tent with the others. Percy acknowledged her with a wave, and then bent down to address the little girls that surrounded him.

"Percy, Percy, will you tuck us in? Please? Please?" they begged, dancing around him in a circle. Percy chuckled.

"I don't know girls, I have a lot of work to do…" he trailed off, looking at their crestfallen faces.

"…but I guess a few minutes wouldn't hurt!" he complied, scooping Ally onto his shoulders and tucking Cali and Lexi under his arms while Luna attached herself to his leg, all them squealing with delight.

Half walking, half dragging the girls along, Percy made his way to the huntresses' tent, Artemis's quiet chuckle trailing after him.

When Percy and the girls entered the tent, the room immediately fell silent. Percy shuffled his feet awkwardly in the doorway, almost falling over from Luna's extra weight on his leg.

"Uh, sorry…just taking these four to bed…don't mind me!" he announced.

Wading through the beds in the tent, he made his way to the little girls' beds, which were thankfully all together in the back. Playfully depositing each girl on the correct bed, he tucked them all in and was getting ready to leave when he heard a small voice.

"Big brother?" He froze at the title, then turned around.

"Yes, Ally-Cat?" he replied softly, bending down to hear her better.

"Could you tell us a bedtime story?" she asked shyly, looking up at him with an expression that melted his heart.

"Oh, uh, sure sweetie." He replied without thinking.

"Um…Once upon a time, there was a young prince, and his name was-"

"Percy!" Cali interrupted.

"Yes?" Percy stopped. Cali giggled.

"No, I mean the prince's name should be Percy!" she explained. Percy shrugged.

"Okay, sure. Once upon a time, there was a young prince named Percy. He lived in a castle with his loving mother, Queen Sally, and his evil stepfather, King Gabriel."

"That's not right! It's the evil step _mother_ , not stepfather," Alexis protested, her intelligent grey eyes narrowed. Percy smiled.

"Normally you're right, Lexi, but not in this story. You see, Queen Sally was the nicest queen in the whole world. She was nice to everyone, and always baked the best blue cookies for everyone in the kingdom."

"Blue cookies?" Luna asked seriously. Percy nodded, his throat slightly tight, but cleared it and continued when Luna nodded back, accepting it without any more questions.

"King Gabriel only married Queen Sally because she was a queen, but Queen Sally married to protect Prince Percy, because King Gabriel had a big army to keep the kingdom safe. Prince Percy's real father, King Poseidon, had been lost at sea years before, and Queen Sally was forced to find a new king to protect the kingdom, even though she didn't want to.

"One day, however, a wicked witch named Alecto attacked the kingdom. King Gabriel was too busy playing cards with other rich nobles to send his army after her, and she attacked Prince Percy when he was only eleven years old.

"Poor Prince Percy," Cali said, frowning, and Percy gave her a small smile.

"Queen Sally took Prince Percy and fled the kingdom, trying to take him to a different kingdom where he would be safe. On the way, however, a fearsome monster called the Bull Man captured Queen Sally. Prince Percy fought off the monster, but it was too late. His mother was gone.

"Oh no!" Luna gasped softly, clutching her blanket, before yawning widely.

"Alone and frightened, Prince Percy did the only thing he could, and made his way to the kingdom his mother wanted him to go to – a place called Half-Blood Kingdom. He was accepted in the kingdom and treated well, but no one knew who he was, or that he was really a prince.

"Then, a few days later, Prince Percy received a letter from his father, King Poseidon, who wasn't dead after all, but was instead living far, far away from home. Half-Blood kingdom made Percy a Lord, as King Dionysus and his Royal Advisor, Chiron, already ruled the kingdom, and sent him on a quest.

"What kind of quest?" Lexi asked sleepily, and Percy looked around at the girls' drowsy faces before continuing.

"The reason for the quest was that Prince Percy's father, King Poseidon, had been accused of stealing High Lord Zeus's Lightning Staff, with which he ruled all the land. If Prince Percy did not find and return the staff before the Summer Solstice, a war would break out across the kingdoms, and that would be no good for anyone.

"So with his new companions, Lady Annabeth and Sir Grover, Prince Percy set out to find the Lightning Staff and his mother."

Percy stopped there, causing the little girls to whine.

"Why'd you stop?" Cali asked, pouting even as she rubbed her eyes. Percy chuckled.

"Because you need to go to bed, and I have work to do. I'll finish the story another night. It's bedtime now," he replied.

"Okay. Good night, Percy," Cali said, snuggling into her covers.

Percy smiled and tucked her in, kissing her lightly on the forehead. Only one day, and already the little girls had him wrapped around their fingers.

"Night, Cali."

"Percy?" Alexis questioned.

"Yes, Lexi?" he turned to her next, tucking her blankets around her and handing her the silver stuffed owl that was lying on the end of her bed.

"Are you Prince Percy? And is Queen Sally your mommy? Is the story real?"

Percy didn't answer, but Lexi kept talking, her voice growing sleepier as her eyelids drooped.

"I hope not…because King Gabriel sounds mean…you don't…you don't deserve anything mean…you're nice," she mumbled, her eyes slowly drifting shut.

Percy chuckled, touched.

"Thank you, Lexi, and you're right. The story is kind of real. Not all of it, though. And don't worry – it has a happy ending, I promise. Sleep tight now."

He kissed her head then turned to Luna.

"Night, Percy," she yawned, and Percy smiled as he tucked her in too.

Finally, Percy turned to Ally, who had her moonlace on the bedside table and Ky curled up at the foot of her bed. Laela had left with Blackjack, but had promised to come back anytime Ally whistled for her.

"Night, Ally-Cat," he said, tucking her in and kissing her forehead. As she snuggled down into her blanket, he heard her murmured reply.

"Night, big brother," she sighed, drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

Percy watched her for a minute, smiling softly, before turning towards the entrance of the tent and freezing. Every single one of the older girls was watching him curiously.

Percy blushed. Had they been listening the whole time? Some looked hostile or put out at his actions, offended that he was in their tent and winning over their sisters, while others looked like they didn't know what to make of him. Thalia was leaning against her bed with her arms crossed, watching with a small smile on her face.

"Um…night everyone," Percy muttered as he made his way out of the tent and over to the archery range, where he gathered all the arrows and set to sharpening them.

After the long and exhausting process of sharpening all the arrows, he washed all the old Hunter uniforms that were in the laundry tent. Thankfully for Percy, his water powers helped speed the process significantly.

Once he was done, a good four hours later, he looked around for a place to sleep. Seeing no tent for him, he made his way towards Artemis's tent, which was magically sealed closed. He could hear soft sighing coming from the inside, and smiled lightly.

Hopping up onto a low branch of a nearby tree and spreading his wings to keep him balanced, Percy settled into a light sleep, resolving to keep guard over his new family as he succumbed to his exhaustion after such an eventful day.

 **A/N: Pronunciation guide: Laela (Lay-la)**

 **Thanks so much everyone for reading and for all the wonderful reviews! I hope you liked it, and I'll update soon! Remember - review, and I'll update faster! Ideas, compliments, or criticism are all welcome! Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** **Important note:** **The events in this chapter and in future chapters were written in honor of the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook shooting, as the event itself occurred not long after I began writing this story three years ago. I have incorporated the event into my story not out of disrespect, but in order to honor the heroes and victims of such a horrible incident, and to help us all understand the meaning of true bravery. May those who were killed rest in peace, and I hope that their spirits will be commemorated in this story. Thank you.**

 **Chapter 5**

*BAAAA DA DADADA BA DA DADADA BADA DADADADAAAAAAAAAA DA BA DADADA DA DADADADA DADADADADA DADA* (Army wake up call)

"AHHH!" Percy let out an alarmed yell, attempting to twist into a sitting position, forgetting he was in a tree, and ending up sprawled on his back on the ground, moaning.

Groaning groggily, he sat up, wincing as he stretched his wings out as had been bent out of shape when he fell on them. He heard snickers and laughter from behind him.

Standing up slowly, he rubbed his head where it had made contact with the ground and looked up. In front of him were the older huntresses, minus Thalia, watching and laughing at him.

Phoebe was smirking the most and was proudly holding a horn in her hand, and Percy decided she was the one behind the whole thing. Gritting his teeth, he brushed himself off and glared back at the Hunters defiantly. He did _not_ like being made fun of. He had opened his mouth to tell them as much when he was interrupted.

"Percy! Percy! Percy!" the little girls ran up to him, squealing. He couldn't help but smile at them.

"Look, look!"

They bounced up and down, motioning to their hair, which was done up fancily. Cali's curly hair was pulled back into a pretty up-do, some sort of bun that looked like an upside down muffin, but in a good way.

It looked sort of like the buns that they had in those Barbie movies – something he only knew because he had been forced to watch them when Piper convinced him to watch the younger girls in her cabin while she went on a date with Jason.

The little demons loved him for reasons he couldn't fathom, but they weren't so bad once they de-activated their inner divas.

Alexis had some of the strands from the front of her hair pinned back, and her hair was in its natural princess curls. Luna had her hair in a perfect fishtail braid. Percy remembered that type of braid from when Annabeth had done her hair like that for one of their dates – she had gotten mad at him when he claimed it looked nothing like a fish's tail.

Ally had her hair curled in ringlets, which hung perfectly around her face, making her blue eyes glow. Percy smiled.

"Why, you all look like little princesses! Hmm, just like the little princesses in your bedtime story!" he told them, bending down to their level as they all giggled.

"Thanks Percy!" they chorused, practically glowing from the compliment.

"Thalia and Lady Artemis helped us!" Ally supplied shyly.

"Wait, what princesses? There were no princesses in your story!" Alexis asked accusingly. Percy winked at her.

"Not _yet_ , there isn't," he replied, poking her in the stomach and making her giggle.

"Oh, come on Perce, don't tell me you fell out of a tree _again_ ," Thalia teased, walking up to the group, behind lady Artemis. She reached over and pulled a twig out of his hair, and Percy mock glared at her.

"Of course not Thals, and come on, that's not fair, you set Mrs. O'Leary on me on _purpose_. When I was _sleeping_ ," he reminded her exasperatedly. She smirked.

"Oops. My bad. But hey, in my defense, we all know that after your dip in the Styx, nothing short of a lightning bolt will wake you up," she teased.

Even after his Achilles' Curse had been washed off in the Tiber, it was almost impossible to wake Percy from a deep sleep. He had hoped it was something that would wear off eventually, but so far there was no change.

Remembering how he had been woken up that morning, Percy's easygoing smile melted into a small scowl. Thalia noticed.

"What?" she asked, looking at him then at the group of older girls, putting two and two together and crossing her arms.

"What happened?"

Percy looked at the older girls, who wouldn't meet his eyes. He opened his mouth to rat them out, but thought better of it, and changed his mind.

"Nothing. You were right, I was just being clumsy," he lied.

He noticed Artemis scrutinizing him, but ignored her. Thalia looked back and forth between Percy and the older girls, eyes narrowed, before giving up and shrugging.

"So…what now?" Percy asked, breaking the silence. Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"Why, breakfast of course," she replied, looking over his ruffled appearance with a raised eyebrow.

He hastily saluted her and pulled out his notepad.

"Of course, My Lady. Girls?" he asked.

He took the little girls' orders first, as they were jumping up and down around him, shouting "Me, me first! Me!" then turned to the older girls. Smirking lightly at each other, they began their order.

Attempting to make life even harder on Percy, they ordered even more food than the night before, and were OCD-specific down to the last bottle of syrup. (Maple, Canadian style, no added sugar or cane sugar extractions, organic, no high fructose corn syrup.)

Finally, Percy turned to Artemis and Thalia, who was glaring at the other Hunters, and wrote down their orders. Wearily glancing at the completely full pad, he stashed it in his pocked, concentrated, and snapped his fingers.

Instantly the table filled with food, just as it had the night before. The girls ran to their places, the older girls examining everything before beginning to eat, grumbling when they found nothing out of place. Percy swayed on his feet before collapsing heavily into his chair, forcing himself to take deep breaths as spots danced in front of his eyes.

"Are you okay, Percy?" Luna asked worriedly, and Percy smiled at her.

"Oh don't worry about me, I'm fine. Just need some blue pancakes, is all," he chuckled, and Luna looked at the food on his plate curiously.

"Do they really taste better than normal pancakes?" she asked, and Percy looked her dead in the eyes.

"Absolutely."

Luna nodded, contemplating, then held out her plate. Smiling, Percy plopped two pancakes onto it and watched as she took a careful bite. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she began shoveling forkfuls of pancake into her mouth with fervor.

"Whoa, slow down there! There's plenty more where those came from," he teased, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"I wanna try one too!" Cali whined, holding out her plate.

"Me too!" Lexi agreed, looking at Percy expectantly. He chuckled.

"You can all have some, if you really want. Here," he told them, summoning a huge stack of blue pancakes and putting them in the middle of the table. "Help yourselves!"

They did, and as they ate they talked and laughed and chatted, telling Percy about the schedule for the day. Percy observed as Artemis surveyed the table proudly, like a mother would watch her children. She smiled occasionally, but never laughed. Once, she and Percy locked eyes, but he hurriedly looked away and pretended to be distracted by Cali, who was trying to hang her spoon off her nose.

Teasingly, Percy grabbed the spoon from her.

"No silly, you do it like this!" he said, demonstrating.

He stuck the spoon on his nose, crossed his eyes, and stuck out his tongue, causing the girls to dissolve into giggles. The older girls rolled their eyes and scowled, but Thalia laughed along.

"No, no, no, Kelp Head, you forget yourself," she teased. "It's like this."

Thalia took her spoon, twirled it on her finger like a basketball player, then flipped it up in the air, end over end, until it landed on her nose.

"Ta da!" she exclaimed, smirking heavily.

The older girls all laughed unkindly at Percy's defeat, but the little girls clapped and squealed, delighted by the performance. Percy only smirked.

"Well, if we're going to do it that way…" he smirked, picking up his spoon again.

He loaded it with cereal from Cali's abandoned bowl, then used the spoon as a catapult to launch the cereal up into the air, the spoon following the cereal soon after, spiraling into the air like Thalia's had. Opening his mouth wide, Percy caught the cereal in his mouth, chewing and swallowing, before catching the spoon and twirling it around on his fingers.

He then proceeded to flick it up in the air behind him, catch it with his other hand, and roll it over his fingers onto his nose, where it stuck fast. He opened his arms with a flourish, smirking and wiggling his eyebrows at his cousin.

"Beat that, Pinecone Face," he taunted, amidst the cheers from his little fans and the glares from the rest of the table.

Some of the middle-age girls, like Jenna, Anya, and Lydia, were starting to soften a little, their scowls lessening the slightest degree. The older girls, however, the ones who held onto their grudges against men more tightly, weren't as forgiving.

Thalia opened her mouth to reply when Artemis interrupted.

"As amusing as this little competition is, we have more serious matters to attend to. Last night I received orders from Lord Zeus. There is a group of Kobaloi that have sprung up in an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Our satyrs were in the area and sensed a powerful presence.

"We have a few protectors incorporated in the school's staff as teacher's aids and office helpers, as they are a little old for elementary school, and we have one youngling scouting out a first grade class. It is our job to get there and defeat the sprites before they reveal themselves to the mortals or injure anyone." She explained gravely.

The group nodded seriously, understanding the urgency of the situation. Artemis explained to the younger girls and Percy that Kobaloi are a type of sprite that love to trick mortals and rob them. If they are not taken care of quickly, however, the problem could easily escalate into something much worse.

"It is of the utmost importance that we get there as soon as possible. If we hurry, we can make it there by tomorrow, but I'm banking on encountering some monsters, so we will most likely arrive the day after next. Finish up and pack everything, we leave in 2 hours," she ordered, and immediately everyone scattered except for Thalia and Percy.

"Why so long?" Percy asked. "Back when you saved us-" he motioned to Thalia and himself, "it took you mere minutes to set up and break camp."

Artemis regarded him closely, mildly impressed that he remembered.

"This is a more permanent set up, Perseus. We have been here for a week, and expected to stay a few more days to gather supplies and whatnot. It will take longer to break then that temporary camp."

Percy nodded to show his understanding. Artemis continued.

"As you have no tent to pack, you may pack up the armory. When you are finished, you may use the extra time to say goodbye to your friends at Camp Half-Blood, as well as to grab any other supplies you may need from your cabin."

Percy opened his mouth to protest, but she held up a hand, cutting him off.

"You may not wish to encounter certain people, Perseus, and I understand that, but my informants tell me that your other friends, the ones you mentioned to the council, have all returned out of concern for you. At the very least, they deserve an explanation. You will not be seeing them for a while, so I would take advantage of this opportunity now. I will not be so lenient in the future."

Percy realized she was right and saluted her before heading off to the weaponry tent.

Artemis and Thalia headed towards the other tents that had been set up in case they were needed, such as the library tent, the meeting tent (where they met and talked over their next quest), the strategy tent (used in battles), the map tent (obviously where they kept all their maps, although Percy had made sure to ask, just for clarification), the laundry tent, and the wolves' tent, where they raised the pups and took care of the wolves that weren't guarding the camp.

Percy packed the weapons and armor speedily, wrapping up the tent the way Thalia had shown him when she broke down her tent after their camp out in Colorado (long story).

When he had deposited it in the middle of the clearing, he spread his wings and took off, angling towards Camp Half-Blood. He dreaded encountering Annabeth while he was there, and quickly decided to get in and out as fast as possible.

 **A/N: The actual Sandy Hook incident will occur later in the story, but I needed to explain because it was mentioned in this chapter. Thank you all so much for all the support and awesome reviews! Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Annabeth sat on her bed, fingering the ring Percy had intended to give her. She had really messed things up. Thinking about Percy, she recalled all the times he had told her he was going away for a few days, or a week. When she asked for an explanation, he had merely smiled and told her he would return as soon as he could.

As the trips grew more and more frequent, Annabeth had started to become suspicious. Where was Percy going? And why wouldn't he tell her anything? What was with all the secrecy? They were dating now – wasn't he supposed to tell her his secrets, instead of keeping them from her?

Looking back on it now, Annabeth scolded herself.

 _You know Percy better then that. He wasn't cheating on you, you vlacas, he was building you a_ _house!_ _He was planning to propose! He was proving to Mom that he was worthy of you! And look what you've done. You and your pride, you ruined the best thing you ever had. And now you'll never get him back._

Annabeth put her head in her hands, letting a tear escape from under her closed lids. How could she have been so stupid? She didn't even _want_ to go to Harvard, not really. The classes would be too easy, the information all wrong. She'd struggle to read all the English, and she'd end up being the weird nerdy girl again. She had let her suspicions make her insecure and her doubts get the better of her.

In a foolish attempt to protect her pride and her emotions, she had decided to break up with Percy before she found out he was cheating on her, or before he broke up with her. She couldn't stand the humiliation either option would bring, but sitting here, knowing what she had done, knowing how wrong she was, was ten times worse.

Steeling herself, she wiped her eyes and put the ring back on her finger. She stood and left the cabin, headed towards the Big House. Maybe Chiron knew where Percy was, so she could find him and apologize. She had to make things right.

****LINE BREAK****

Percy landed atop Half-Blood hill, as he wasn't sure whether or not the magical barriers would allow him to fly into camp, and it really wouldn't be fun to fly right into a magical force field. He'd done it before, and it felt like running into a brick wall. Again – not fun.

Petting Peleus on the head on his way in, he took off the moment he crossed the border, bent on not letting anyone but his friends see him. They were the only reason he was here, and he was determined to leave as soon as he could. He had a new family now, and he wasn't about to forget that.

Percy dropped down behind his empty cabin, sneaking in through the window he had forgotten to close on the day he left. Moving quickly, he grabbed items strewn haphazardly throughout the room. Taking the shield-watch Tyson had made him and strapping it on, he felt more at ease.

After stuffing some extra clothes and his stash of golden drachmas in a backpack, he took one last look around the room. Grabbing a stack of letters from his mom and a variety of other people, he jumped back out the window. He ran quietly behind the row of male cabins, coming to a stop behind the Hermes cabin.

Peeking in, he saw that it was empty except for three people huddled together in a corner, obviously plotting something. Smiling, Percy knocked lightly on the window, making the figures inside jump. One of them hurriedly ran towards the window, opening it and allowing Percy to climb inside.

"Holy Hera, Percy?! Is that you?" Travis asked, surprised, before Percy clamped his hand over his mouth, cutting him off.

Percy raised a finger to his lips, and Travis nodded to show his understanding. Releasing Travis, he beckoned Conner and Chris over.

"Percy! Where have you been man? You've been missing for three days! We were freaking out! We even called Grover back to help us find you. Frank, Hazel, Jason and Reyna haven't called when you were gone, and they're worried too." Chris informed him. Percy sighed.

"It's a long story, and I only want to tell it once. Can you do me a favor, and gather Grover, Clarisse, Piper, Leo, Nico, and Chiron at Zeus's Fist? I'll get Jason, Reyna, Hazel, Frank, and Rachel over Iris Message, but I don't have very long. I have some explaining to do," he requested.

"That you do, Perce. All right, we'll do it. The rest of the cabin is at sword training anyway. Meet us at Zeus's Fist in say, ten minutes. We'll get everyone there." Conner assured him. Percy clapped him on the shoulder.

"Thanks guys. I'll meet you there. Oh, and don't let anyone else know I'm here. _No one_ can know. I'm not coming back to stay, I'm just here because I owe you all an explanation. That's it. Don't get caught, don't be seen, and don't let _anyone_ else even suspect I've come back. I mean it. I'll meet you there in a few minutes." He instructed.

"It's okay, Perce. We, uh, heard about what happened with Annabeth," Chris said sympathetically, and Percy grimaced.

"But, uh, don't worry about it. We're on it," he assured him, and the nodded in agreement, Conner saluting Percy jokingly. Percy smiled at them.

"Thanks guys. I owe you one."

Percy hopped out the back window, waiting until the Stolls and Chris had sauntered off before extending his wings and taking off. He flew high enough above the camp that he wouldn't stand out as anything strange, then nosedived towards the clearing around Zeus's Fist.

Campers had avoided it ever since the Battle of the Labyrinth, which would work in Percy's favor today. He landed and perched in a tree on the edge of the clearing, settling in to wait for the others to arrive.

Annabeth POV

"Please Chiron, you must have _some_ idea of where is," Annabeth pleaded. Chiron looked at her with sorrow filled eyes.

"I'm sorry my dear, but I have no idea of his whereabouts. The gods have merely said he is safe, and if that is all they wish to disclose, we must be satisfied with that. I'm sorry." Annabeth narrowed her eyes.

She knew he wasn't telling her something, which made her both angry and apprehensive. He rarely withheld information from her, and when he did, it usually meant it was information she didn't want to know. Sighing, she resigned herself to defeat.

"Okay, thanks Chiron. If you find anything else out, you'll tell me, right?" she looked at him, and the look in her eyes made Chiron rethink holding back information. But no, it was for her own good.

"Of course, my dear. I will see you at campfire tonight." He replied.

Annabeth nodded and trudged out of the Big House, rounding the corner to head back to her cabin.

Before she could get more then a few steps towards the cabins, however, she froze at the sound of pounding footsteps. Quickly pulling out her Yankee's cap, she placed it on her head and snuck back to the steps of the Big House, hiding on the porch right outside the door.

"Chiron, you have to come with me to Zeus's Fist!" she heard Conner say, panting. She frowned. Why the urgency?

"Whatever is the matter, my boy? This better not be another one of your pranks, or I'll be forced to take-" Chiron began, but Conner cut him off.

"No, no, no – no pranks! This is important. Percy's back, and he needs to talk to you. He asked Travis, Chris, and I to bring you and some others, and he's going to explain everything. He said to make sure no one else knows though – it's kind of top-secret. He doesn't have long though, so we need to go now," Conner explained.

Annabeth heard hooves clopping, meaning Chiron was shuffling his feet.

"Well then, we must waste no time. Quickly now, and discreetly."

The clopping sounds came towards the door, and Annabeth quickly pressed herself against the wall just as the door was flung open. Chiron and Conner emerged, looking around before hurrying into the woods. Annabeth quickly followed.

Maybe now she'd have her chance to make things right.

Percy POV

Percy watched as his friends started trickling into the clearing. First came Clarisse and Grover, then Piper and Leo, who quickly struck up a conversation with the other two.

Percy could hear them discussing what they had been told, and their hopes that he was all right. Chris and Travis soon arrived with Nico, and eventually Chiron came galloping in with Conner.

Percy saw a bush shaking behind them, and almost went to investigate, but was distracted by Grover, who was looking in his direction. He had smelled him, probably because of all the new blessings and the power that came with them. Plus, there was the empathy link. He always forgot about that.

Deciding that it was time for him to greet them, Percy leapt from his branch and launched himself into the air. He swooped down into the clearing, pulling up out of his dive at the last moment and landing on his feet steadily. His friends all gasped.

"Percy!" they cried, rushing towards him while Chiron held back and smiled at him.

Percy smiled at them all, hugging and clapping them on the back respectively. After he greeted them all, he held up a hand to stop all their questions.

"I'll answer them all, I promise, but first things first," he explained, holding up a drachma.

He waved his hand and a sheet of mist appeared. Percy threw the drachma into it.

"O Fleecy, do me a solid, show me Hazel at Camp Jupiter." Percy chanted.

The mist shimmered and Hazel's image appeared. His friends all raised an eyebrow at his new chant, but didn't comment.

"Percy! Oh thank the gods, we were so worried!" Hazel's worried face greeted him.

"Hey Hazel. Great to see you. Hey, so, I don't have much time, and I have some explaining to do, so can you do me a favor and get Frank, Jason, and Reyna so I can talk to you all?" Percy requested.

"Of course. Give me two minutes," she said, before she ran out of the image.

Percy conjured another screen of mist and fished out another drachma.

"O Fleecy, do me a solid, show me Rachel at Clarion's School for Ladies or Clarion Ladies Academy or…erm, at her school." Percy requested, blundering over the name of the school.

A small giggle emitted from the mist at his stumble, but complied. Soon Rachel's face appeared in the mist.

She was in the hallway of her school, at her locker, talking to another girl. Her eyes widened when she saw Percy's image, and she made a quick excuse to the girl before hurrying around the corner.

"Percy!" she hissed, looking around to make sure no one was listening.

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" she said accusingly.

Percy looked at her, and she started at the look in his eyes.

"Percy, what-" she started, but was interrupted by Hazel's return.

She appeared back in the image dragging a confused Frank by the arm, followed by Reyna and Jason, all of whom called to Percy the moment they saw him.

"Percy! What happened to you?" Frank asked.

Rachel snorted a little, as she had been about to ask the same thing.

"Where have you been, man?" Jason questioned.

"You have a lot of explaining to do," Reyna informed him pointedly. Percy grimaced.

"I know I do, and now that you're all here, I can start. Okay, so where to begin…" Percy breathed out, releasing some of the tension.

"Why don't you start with why you left camp in the first place?" Hazel prodded. Percy nodded to her in thanks.

"Okay, so leaving camp. Well, you all know how it was Annabeth and my-" Percy began.

"Ohhh yeah! How'd the proposal go? She said yes, right? Oh that's it, isn't it? That's why you called us! Oh, thank goodness! So when's the wedding?" Jason asked, sounding relieved.

Everyone but Chiron seemed to relax at this, believing it to be true for a second. Grover read Percy's emotions, then bleated at what he felt. No one else seemed to notice.

"Erm…actually…she dumped me." Percy said, breathing out.

It was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Finally Clarisse broke the silence.

"Yeah, we heard. But I'll knock some sense into the little princess for you, if it'd make you feel better," she offered.

Percy managed a weak smile, but it quickly turned into a grimace. He shook his head, and Clarisse shrugged,

"Percy…I'm so sorry. I know how much you love her," Piper said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Percy looked down. He and Piper had grown closer after defeating Gaea, especially when they thought they had lost Leo. Since she and Annabeth were close, Percy had spent a lot of time around her, and he found himself telling her and the rest of his friends everything that was running through his head.

"I think the worst part…is knowing I can't stop loving her, no matter how much she hurt me. Not yet, anyway," he admitted, looking into Piper's eyes, hurt flooding his.

Piper winced at the broken look in his eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but Percy cut her off.

"You know what made me finally realize that I'll never get her back?" he asked, anguished. Piper could only shake her head no.

"I had a dream last night. It was cruel, almost like it was put there to torture me on purpose. It was a re-do of that night. I proposed, she said yes, and we were so happy. I watched us grow up together, I watched as our children ran around and we were this happy couple, and, and, when I woke up, I just…Reality came back. And I knew I could never have that." He said, trembling.

Piper had tears in her eyes from watching Percy, this amazing hero she looked up to, standing in front of her broken and in so much pain.

"I just…I didn't know what to do," he went on, the look in his eyes showing he wasn't really there, but back in his memories.

"I went home. I needed to talk to my mom. But when I got there…when I got there…I was too late."

Percy's eyes grew red, but he held his tears in check and his friends waited for him to continue with bated breath.

"A monster got to them, somehow. I found their bodies in the alley outside their apartment. Something – I don't know what – killed them, and it's all my fault because it must have been my scent that led it there, I had been there only a day or so before to celebrate my birthday, and…I had nothing left, nothing, so I went to Olympus. And I asked the gods to kill me," he said, and his friends all gasped.

"You did _what_?" Reyna growled, eyes flashing. Clarisse whistled and raised her eyebrows, impressed despite herself. Chris and the Stolls paled, and Leo's hair began to smoke slightly. Chiron just stared at Percy sadly, remembering the panicked IM he had received and how it had ended.

"But…Percy! How could you? What about us? All your friends – we're here for you, we could have helped!" Hazel insisted. Everyone else made sounds of agreement.

"Look guys, you're all great, really, but not many of you are around all that often anymore. Nico, you're always in the Underworld with your dad. Rachel, you're at school, Clarisse is always busy around camp, Grover's always away saving the wild, Chris and the Stolls with their dad…all of you have something to do.

"I was content with the idea of staying with Annabeth for the rest of my life, and having her be my purpose, plan for my life. But without my family, friends, or girlfriend to keep me busy, and the camp not really needing me anymore, there was nothing left for me here. So I went to the gods. I was going to join Bianca, Luke, Beckendorf, and Silena, Michael and the others we lost during the two wars, and my mom and Paul. I'd have been happy in Elysium," Percy ranted.

His friends could hardly argue, most of them overwhelmed with guilt for not being there for him.

"Percy…we are so sorry we weren't there for you." Piper apologized solemnly.

"Yeah, Perce. You've become like my brother…I couldn't stand to lose you too. You should have called us, told us what was happening instead of running off to get yourself killed. But obviously they didn't kill you, so what happened?" Nico asked.

"Well, they couldn't kill the Hero of Olympus, especially after Chaos showed up and claimed me as her last descendant, so instead they offered me the post of Guardian of the Hunt, which I accepted. It is now my duty to protect and serve My Lady Artemis, and to protect the Hunters as well. I am immortal unless I fall in battle, and I have sworn off girls, at least for the time being."

Someone gasped, and Rachel leaned closer to the mist-screen.

"Wait, what? Did you say-" Rachel interrupted, but Percy didn't hear her.

"Mainly though, I hope to find a new family, and so far, I've won over say, four of the girls? Five, if you count Thalia." Percy said, relaxing as he thought about the little girls back at camp. His friends relaxed too, happy for him, but still worried.

"Wait, and Artemis just agreed to this?" Rachel asked from her screen of mist, her eyebrow raised.

"That doesn't sound like her to me," she mused. Percy shrugged.

"She's been pretty good to me so far, so I can't argue," he said. Jason jumped, like he had just thought of something.

"Hey, wait a second, did you say Chaos? As in, supreme Lord Creator of the Universe, Chaos? And is that where you got the wings?" he asked.

"Yeah, man, and can I get some?" Leo joked, releasing the tension a little.

"That's what I was going to ask earlier!" Rachel chimed in, looking at Percy.

Everyone else nodded, Chiron paying particular attention, as they were all curious about that detail as well. Percy smiled a little.

"This may take a while, but okay…So while I was accepting the position of Guardian of the Hunt, something compelled me to swear on the name of Chaos, and she kind of just showed up. She said I was her Chosen One, or something like that, and so I am the last true descendant of Chaos, at least for the time being. Then she gave me her blessing, which included the wings and some other powers, and told me I'd be needed when the time came or something like that. So yeah.

"Then Zeus decided I deserved a gift from him, since Chaos chose me or whatever, and then most of the Olympians, excepting Hera, Demeter, and a few others, decided to give me their blessing or offered me a gift of some sort, which lead to me having all these cool new powers. Oh, yeah, and Hestia asked me to be her Champion, and I accepted."

"I can't believe…Lady Chaos? It should be impossible – she never leaves her domain in the outer universe. How could she have…how is this possible?" Chiron asked, looking shocked. Percy looked at him.

"I have no idea. All I know is that she said that she chose me because I have the elements of a true hero or something along those lines. It all happened so fast…" he trailed off, before shaking his head and refocusing.

"But anyway, the Hunt has…begun to accept me, and I am determined to find a new family in them. We've received a new mission, and are breaking camp right now. We leave in an hour, and Artemis sent me to say goodbye since I won't be able to return for a while, but I had to let you all know what happened, and that I was okay. " Percy finished.

His friends all looked at him solemnly, still absorbing everything he had said, but came forward one at a time to say goodbye.

"Look Perce, we have to go, it's almost time for roll call, but just know you can call on us at any time. We'll be there for you. And feel free to drop in every once in a while. Now that you have the wings, you don't have to go through the Tiber, yeah?" Jason offered, with Reyna, Hazel, and Frank nodding encouragingly behind him.

"I don't know where I'll be, but be careful with Artemis, and look out for my sister, okay?" he asked, and Percy nodded.

Hazel, Frank, and Reyna all said their goodbyes as well, and Percy thanked them and waved goodbye before Reyna swiped through the mist, dissolving the connection. Rachel was next.

"I have to go too, Percy, class is about to start…don't do anything stupid, and don't offend Artemis. You don't need any more gods on your bad side. I'll be watching out for you, but don't forget to call and check up. And don't let your new powers go to your head or you'll get yourself killed. You're still not invincible, you know. I'll see you around," she instructed, making Percy smile before she waved her hand through the mist as well. Percy turned to his friends in front of him.

The Stolls and Chris stepped forward first.

"Percy, you've always been a good friend. Now it's our turn. Call us up when you need, and we'll be happy to assist you. We're allowed to teleport when we help Dad, so we can pop in whenever. Don't be a stranger, all right?" Travis said, clapping him on the back.

"Perce, you helped save me all those years ago, and then you saved all the demigods who had made the same mistake I did. I'll always be grateful to you for that, so honestly, don't hesitate to call on us when you need us, alright?" Chris added, smiling grimly.

Conner and Travis nodded beside him and shook Percy's hand before heading back to their cabin while Chris waited for Clarisse, who came forward next.

"Look, Prissy. We got off on the wrong foot, and we've had our differences. But in the long run, we've both saved each other's butts enough times. Don't make me come save you because you went and did something stupid and offended another goddess. Call if you find a monster you need help with. Oh, and try not to die," she added, punching him on the arm before grabbing Chris's hand and walking off with him.

"I'll do my best! See ya, Clarisse!" Percy called after her, shaking his head a little.

Some people would never change. Piper and Leo stepped up next.

"Percy, I am so sorry. I know you have to go, but know that if you ever need anything, you can trust us. You're our friend Percy, and you can't forget that. Even if we are busy, we'll always make time for you." She hugged Percy, and he hugged her back.

"Thanks Piper. That means a lot." Percy told her.

"And look, I'm truly sorry for the heartbreak, Percy. But you'll recover, and besides, my mom promised you a happily ever after, didn't she? And even if it's rough, it can't get worse than it already has, right?" Piper said helplessly, and Percy looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled.

"You always know what to say to cheer me up, Pipes. I guess I forgot I have a family here too. I won't forget that again," he promised, and Piper smiled.

"Glad you finally got that through that barnacle brain of yours," she teased, and Percy groaned.

"Not you too!" he groaned, and she laughed before giving him one last hug and stepping aside.

"Alright, Leo, I've got something to show you – I know you'll appreciate it," Percy said smirking.

Leo bounced on the balls of his feet, knowing that if Percy thought he'd like it, it would be something awesome. Percy concentrated, scrunching his eyes closed.

When he reopened them, they were black with bright green flames flickering in the sockets. Leo jumped back a little, startled, but then a grin appeared on his face.

"Whoa! Percy, dude, that's awesome! How'd you do that?" he asked, and Percy changed his eyes back to normal. He smirked.

"Comes with the Champion of Hestia thing," he replied, and they grinned at each other before growing slightly more serious.

"Honestly though, Percy, come visit when you can, okay? I can see why you wanted to join the Hunt, and I respect that, but don't forget about us, okay? We're your family too," he said.

"Thanks, Leo. Take care of Calypso for me, okay? I know she said she forgave me, but-"

"Hey. The past is in the past. She's over it, I'm over it, you get over it. She'll be sorry she missed you, but you know how she is about the deliveries to the city. I'll fill her in when she gets back."

Percy smiled in thanks, and they clapped each other on the shoulder before Piper and Leo followed after the others and left the clearing.

Chiron trotted up next.

"My boy, I am so sorry. I know how much you must be hurting still, and I'm glad that you have found solace in the Hunters, but you must know that you cannot run away from your past anymore then you can run away from your fate.

"That said, I wish you the best. I understand you will be busy with your duties, but do stop in from time to time? Perhaps you and Thalia together could convince Artemis to visit camp a little more often – it couldn't hurt."

"Sure thing, Chiron. Thanks for everything," Percy said, and Chiron patted him on the shoulder before galloping off into the woods.

Only Nico and Grover were left. Nico stepped up first.

"Percy…" he trailed off, and Percy pulled him into a hug.

"Nico, I'm sorry. I know we've cleared up everything between us, but I wasn't thinking, and I definitely didn't mean to leave you alone again. Not like Bianca. I just…"

They looked at each other, and something seemed to pass between them. Nico nodded.

"I understand. As I remember, I went a little crazy too. It's hard to lose someone you love. Especially someone you've known for so long. Trust me, I get it. But like the others said, you have a family here too. You've become like my big brother these last few years, Perce, so don't forget about us. You're our leader Perce, and what's an army without its leader?" Nico told him.

Percy nodded, a lump in his throat, and they hugged again.

"I'll see you around, right? Maybe drop by sometimes, see how they're treating you?" Nico asked. Percy smiled.

"Sure thing, Nic. I'd like that. Tell Will he better treat you right, or he'll have me and the entire Hunt to answer to," Percy replied, and Nico flushed but nodded slightly before walking back towards the cabins.

Grover stood where he was, his chin quivering slightly. Percy walked toward him.

"G-man?" he asked carefully. Grover looked up and smiled weakly.

"Hey Perce." They both sat there for a minute. Percy sighed.

"Everything was so much simpler in the good old days, wasn't it?" he asked. Grover smiled weakly.

"If I remember correctly, in the good old days, we almost died a lot," Grover said, smiling. Percy chuckled.

"Yeah, we did. But we survived it all, didn't we?" Grover laughed weakly.

"And look at you, Guardian of the Hunt! Oh, man, how is that? Artemis must be just…" Grover sighed. Percy chuckled again.

"Look, Grover, I'm sorry. I didn't mean…Especially with the empathy link – I wasn't thinking." Percy apologized, but Grover put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's fine, I get it Perce,"

"It's not fine! What if I they had gone through with it? You would have died too! And Juniper, she-"

"Would have been fine. Because you knew they wouldn't really kill you," Grover interrupted. Percy blinked at him.

"What do you mean? Of course I didn't," he protested.

"Oh really? I can read emotions, Perce – if you had really wanted to die, you would have just pulled out Riptide and impaled yourself then and there. But you didn't. You went to Zeus, and put the decision in his hands."

"Okay, but he's wanted to kill me forever, so of course he would have taken the chance-"

"But he didn't, Perce. They weren't going to kill you, and you knew it. I'm not saying I'm not thankful – believe me, I am. I'm just saying, you knew you weren't really going to die. Otherwise, you would have done it differently. And that's okay – it all worked out.

"But next time, don't do something stupid like going to the gods, and don't take my idea and randomly impale yourself the next time something awful happens, okay? I understand better than anyone how guilty you feel about everything, and how truly loyal you are – but you don't need to feel guilty about this. Trust me."

Percy was silent for a few minutes, absorbing what Grover had said, then clapped him on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Grover," he said hoarsely, and Grover smiled weakly.

"Of course. You're my best friend, Perce. That, at least, hasn't changed," he said, smiling, and Percy smiled back.

"Go save the wild, G-man. I'll be helping you now, and hopefully I'll see you soon. Okay?" Percy asked, giving Grover a hug.

Grover nodded, squaring his shoulders and brushing off his shirt. With one last wave, he too trotted out of sight, and Percy was alone at last.

Letting out a long sigh, Percy sat on a nearby boulder, rubbing his head wearily. Saying good-bye had been harder for him then he thought. He took a few minutes to collect his thoughts, and had just stood up to leave when he was startled out of his thoughts by a painfully familiar voice.

"Percy."

He looked up, and his eyes locked onto…

Annabeth POV

…his gorgeous sea-green eyes. The ones I looked into now and recoiled at the pain they reflected back at me.

"Percy, I…" I tried again, but my voice cracked.

He just looked at me with those eyes, those empty, shattered eyes. My own were wet with tears, and I could feel the salt drying on my face.

The tears had started when Percy was talking about his dream. His dream of us…that I had ruined. When he talked about Sally and Paul the pain he must have felt shredded my heart, and in realizing that the accumulation of all that pain drove him to go to the gods to ask for death, I saw just how deeply I had hurt him.

Throughout all the goodbyes, I had been steeling myself, preparing what I would say, how I would convince him to forgive me. But now, standing here and looking into his eyes, I couldn't do it. My mouth froze, and so did my brain. Finally I shook my head to clear it, and began again.

"Percy, I'm sorry. I made a mistake, I didn't understand, and I…" I trailed off as he shook his head.

He looked at me with such pain and anguish, it felt like I was back in Tartarus but alone this time, to see the man I loved look at me that way.

"Annabeth," he croaked, as if it was painful for him to even say my name out loud. Then he shook his head.

"No. I'm sorry, but I can't. Not yet. It's too much, too early. I…I have to go," he said, backing away, his whole body trembling.

He looked broken, and I had to live with the fact that I was the one who caused it.

"Please, Percy, wait-" I called, reaching for him, but I wasn't fast enough.

In a flash, he had his wings out and had taken off. I stood there in shock for a moment, before crumpling to my knees.

He didn't want me. I knew I deserved it, but still, it hurt so much worse than I had imagined. Was this what I did to him? Could it be this painful for him to leave me, even when I'm the one who broke his heart? Tears leaked from my eyes, and before I could stop them, uncontrollable sobs burst out of me.

I don't know how long I laid there, but eventually I heard someone calling my name, and Malcolm ran up to me.

"Annabeth? Annabeth, are you all right?" he asked worriedly, shaking my shoulder.

I looked at him and shook my head, and he seemed to understand. He pulled me to him, and let me cry on his shoulder as he rubbed my back. I had only two thoughts.

What had I done? And more importantly, Could I fix it?

Percy POV

Percy flew as fast as he could to get away from camp. Away from her. Tears streamed down his face, and he wasn't entirely sure that it was from the wind. He flew so fast the ground below him was a blur. He knew he had passed the Hunt's camp, but he was so upset he didn't stop.

Finally he landed clumsily in the forest, coming in too fast and staggering painfully into a tree. Collapsing, he sat at the base it and finally let himself cry – about Annabeth, about his parents, about the guilt and the hurt and the pain he was drowning in.

He let out all of his pain and suffering, all the feelings seeing her again had provoked. He felt so weak, so helpless.

 _Look at me,_ he thought, _the Hero of Olympus, sitting under a tree sobbing like a baby._

He hadn't been there for long when he sensed a presence behind him. It was Artemis.

"Perseus?" she asked, and for once she sounded almost concerned. He brushed at his eyes and turned away, not trusting himself to reply. She came and sat by him, but didn't say anything more.

"Is this why you became a maiden?" he asked, his throat raw. "So that no one could hurt you like this?"

Artemis looked at him, thinking about her answer. For some reason, he noticed she had made herself look a little older, and was not in her usual thirteen-year-old body. Instead she looked around his age, and was only a few inches shorter then him, from what he could tell. She looked up at him, and her eyes captured his.

They were so much like Annabeth's, which hurt, but they were also so different. Where Annabeth's eyes were stormy and grey, Artemis's eyes were tranquil and silver, like the moon. He could see so much in her eyes, but so little at the same time. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. His concentration broke when she opened her mouth to reply, and Percy blushed slightly, embarrassed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. I'm just…upset," he apologized. Artemis looked at him appraisingly.

"No, it's alright. It's a fair question. I suppose…that is the reason now. I made the decision to be a maiden when I was only three, and it was merely a wish. There was no reason for it really, other than that I saw how women were used as bargaining chips and I had no desire to be locked into a marriage I didn't want.

"Now though, after I have seen what men can do, what they are capable of, yes, I suppose it is a way to protect myself. If I am a maiden forever, I will not allow myself to fall in love, and so I cannot be hurt the way you have been. That is my logic. Although sometimes, as you probably know, it does not work as well as we'd like it to," she glanced at him, but he looked away.

"You don't have to be here. I know you despise men, and for good reason. Especially 'heroes' like me. I'm no hero – I'm just a coward. A weak, sniveling, pathetic coward who can't save anyone or anything that matters," he said miserably. Artemis looked surprised.

"What do you mean? You have nothing to be ashamed of," she protested, surprising herself by defending him.

"You're the Hero of Olympus, Chaos's last remaining descendant, and you saved me from Atlas-"

"But not Zoe," Percy interrupted, and Artemis's eyes flashed with pain.

"Zoe made her own choice, and you insult her memory by implying otherwise. But as I was saying, you have done countless other deeds that any hero would be proud of. How do you call yourself a coward? If anything, I'd expect you to be like Hercules-" she began, but stopped when Percy whipped his head towards her.

"I am _nothing_ like Hercules," he snarled.

"He was and is a stuck up, egoistic jerk that had no respect for anyone but himself and is as selfish as anyone could be. I would rather die then be like him," he said vehemently. Artemis couldn't contain her surprise.

"And here I thought Hercules was the hero of all male demigods," she commented. Percy looked at her, his brow still furrowed in anger.

"Then you are sorrowfully mistaken. True, I used to look up to Hercules, but only because he seemed to have worse luck than I did. Now I know he deserved it. The way I see it, each of the old heroes had some redeeming quality, but most of them were jerks. Instead of looking at them and wishing to be them because of one trait, I look to my friends and my parents.

My heroes are my mom and Paul, for putting up with me and fighting on my side even when this wasn't their war. My heroes are my friends that sacrificed themselves against Kronos in the Battle of Manhattan. They know true sacrifice, and someday I hope to be as selfless as they were.

My friends at Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter are all loyal, kind, caring, and brave. My heroes are people who show strength in times when others would be cowering with fear. Sitting here crying over a breakup doesn't seem to be honoring that – it's weak, and cowardly, and stupid. I'm no hero. I'm just a kid who happened to get lucky enough that he somehow convinced everyone he was a hero." Percy finished.

"Perseus, look at me," Artemis commanded in a stern tone.

"You are not weak. You are not a coward. And while you may be a little oblivious and dense, you are certainly not stupid," she said fiercely.

Percy looked surprised that she was defending him, but for some reason, it made him feel warm inside.

"It is the heroes of old that were weak. You are strong in trying to be different from them. Every hero has a breaking point – you are simply at that point. It is only human.

"If you are determined to be strong, then think of your friends. Think of your parents. Would they want you to be like this? Would they want you shoulder unnecessary guilt and pain? Your heart will take time to heal, that is true, but it will heal. Until then, you must be strong for your heroes, for if you honor them, then that is what makes you a true hero." Artemis told him.

While she spoke, Percy had stood up and began pacing back and forth. His pained expression gave way to determination as he absorbed her words. Artemis watched with satisfaction as he slowly pieced himself together, bit by bit, but also found herself dumbfounded at how different he was from other males. Finally Percy nodded.

"You're right. I've been letting Annabeth get to me too much. It still hurts, but I need to be strong. I have the Hunt to look after, and we have monsters to stop."

He stopped pacing and looked over towards Artemis.

"Thank you, My Lady," he said, crossing his arm over his chest and inclining his head.

Artemis smiled softly at him, happy that he was back to normal, and Percy smiled back, a small but genuine smile. Percy tentatively offered his hand to Artemis and, after a brief hesitation, for perhaps the first time in her immortal life, she accepted.

Walking together in companionable, comfortable silence, they returned to the Hunt's camp, each lost in their own thoughts.

 **A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, or followed this story – it's reached over 100 favorites and about 150 follows, and I couldn't be more excited! I absolutely love seeing your reviews, and I hope you guys continue to write them as it really inspires me and encourages me to write!**

 **Thanks again for all the reviews and support! Hope you liked it!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

When Percy and Artemis returned to camp, they were met with an open field, a pile of packed tents, and a heated argument.

"You cannot possibly believe that! It's preposterous!" Phoebe was shouting. Thalia's face was red.

"Just because some guy betrayed you eons ago doesn't mean Percy's the same way!" she shouted back.

"What, you've let him fool you, Thalia? Can't you see it's all an act?" Skylar sneered from her place behind Phoebe. None of them had noticed Percy and Artemis's presence.

"He's obviously just like every other male on this planet," Skylar continued. "Selfish, arrogant, and-"

"You take that back!" Ally suddenly shouted, darting forward.

Skylar, Phoebe, and the rest of the Hunters drew back in surprise at the venom in her little voice.

"Percy is the best big brother ever! He's been nothing but nice to us, even you, and you have no right to say those things about him!" she challenged.

"Yeah. What did Percy ever do to you?" Alexis demanded, walking forward. Her chin jutted forward defiantly, and her eyes flashed, daring anyone to contradict her.

"He killed Zoe! That's what he did! It's his fault she's dead!" Phoebe screamed, tears forming in her eyes. The Hunters all gasped, and Thalia grew deadly calm.

"That's a lie and you know it! Zoe chose her own fate – I would know, I was there! Now you take that back before I _make_ you take it back!" Thalia said angrily, the air around her starting to crackle.

"Bring it, _Pinecone Face_ ," Phoebe taunted.

Thalia's expression grew even angrier, if that was at all possible. Her voice turned icy.

"Only my cousins can call me that. You have not earned the right," she snarled, before raising her hands.

Phoebe notched an arrow and aimed it at Thalia in response.

"ENOUGH!" Artemis bellowed.

The girls all froze, before turning towards her. Percy was standing a few steps behind Artemis, frozen in shock at Phoebe's accusation. Despite what Artemis had said, Percy still felt responsible, and having Phoebe confirm it made him feel even worse. Artemis's expression was beyond furious.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," she told Phoebe icily.

Phoebe flushed and dropped her head.

"You as well, Skylar."

Skylar shuffled her feet.

"Perseus has done nothing except do chores for you and respectfully give you the space you need, yet you make such hideous accusations against him? Zoe's death was not Percy's fault in the slightest – if anything, Zoe chose death. The prophecy ordained that one would die by a parent's hand. Zoe knew it was about her from the beginning, yet chose to go on the quest anyway, out of loyalty to me.

"Are you suggesting that Perseus should have been able to prevent the prophecy itself? It was Zoe's choice. And may I add that, if not for Perseus's sacrifice, I may not have escaped from Atlas at all. Did you consider that before making your accusations? Besides, if you are to blame anyone for Zoe's death, it should be me, as it was her loyalty to me that drove her to make the sacrifice she did. That said, we will not dishonor her by taking that sacrifice away. It was her choice, and her choice alone, and to say otherwise disrespects not only her memory, but also what she stood for.

"The two of you have disgraced me today. I do not want to hear anything like this ever again, from any of you. Am I clear?" she demanded.

Phoebe and Skylar, along with the rest of the Hunters, nodded.

"Yes, Lady Artemis." They chorused, abashed.

Artemis turned towards Thalia, ready to scold her for losing her temper, but something about her expression stopped her. Thalia wasn't even looking at her, and instead was focused on something behind her.

"What is it Thalia?" she asked, slightly concerned, but still angry.

"My Lady, excuse me for a moment but…" she trailed off and walked past her, towards Percy.

He was still frozen in place, his eyes full of guilt.

Thalia knew that since his fall into Tartarus, Percy had become prone to certain episodes. During these episodes, Percy was trapped within his own mind and believed himself back in Tartarus, alone with the _arai_ and his guilt.

The episodes often forced him to relive his worst memories and experience feelings of such overwhelming guilt and regret that they reduced him to tears. Only his close friends knew about the condition, as it didn't happen very often, but something about Phoebe's accusation had triggered it.

"Percy?" she asked softly.

Percy didn't respond, his eyes fixed on a point above her head.

"My fault…" he whispered.

"Percy. Percy!" She shook him, growing more frantic as his eyes began to water.

Finally she reluctantly drew her hand back and slapped him, shocking him out of the memory.

He raised his hand to his face absentmindedly as his gaze fixed on Thalia.

"It's all my fault…" he whimpered. Thalia looked at him worriedly.

"Percy, what are you talking about?" she asked.

"I-I should have known…the bite, it was poisoned…the sky…I should have known…should have taken it sooner…I…I could have saved her…I could have saved them all…Zoe, Bianca…it's my fault, all my fault…" he moaned, a tear trailing down his cheek, and he began to tremble from head to toe.

Thalia put her hands firmly on his shoulders, holding him steady, and gave him a little shake.

"Percy, look at me. Zoe's death was not your fault. Get that through that thick head of yours. Artemis is right – Zoe made her choice. She's in the stars now. She's _happy_. It's time you made peace with her. You've done it before, remember? You've faced your ghosts. Now it's time to face your guilt."

Thalia glanced behind her to see the terrified faces of the little girls, and the scornful and confused expressions of the older girls.

"Come on Percy, I know you're stronger then this. Snap out of it. You're scaring the kids," she said, holding his gaze.

As she talked to him, he gripped one of her hands, clutching it as if it was the only thing keeping him from falling deeper into his nightmares. Dried tears traced paths down his cheeks, but no more fell, and Thalia sighed in relief, knowing that the episode was almost over.

Slowly, the shaking subsided, and Percy's breathing began to even out. His eyes focused again, and when they found Thalia he pulled her into a desperate hug.

"Thanks, Thals," he whispered, his voice still shaky. Thalia squeezed his arm.

"It's alright, Perce," she said. "I understand."

As soon as Thalia let go of him and stepped back, Ally rushed to Percy, followed by the rest of the little girls.

"Percy? Percy? Are you okay?" Ally asked, wrapping her arms around his legs and hiding her face against them.

"Percy, it's not your fault! Phoebe and Skylar are just being mean! Please don't leave again," Cali told him, her eyes pleading.

"Yeah! It's not your fault, Percy. Don't be sad!" Alexis assured him.

The girls all looked towards Luna, who was watching Percy carefully. Noticing their stares, she shrugged.

"I think you know it's not your fault. You're just letting your guilt eat at you. Zoe wouldn't want that – she's happy in the stars. You should accept that, and be happy like she would want you to," she stated calmly.

The Hunters and Percy all looked at her, astounded. Percy swallowed.

"You're right, Luna," he said, taking a deep breath. He stood up straight and patted the girls on the head.

"Um, sorry about that, My Lady. I'm alright now," he said, embarrassed.

Artemis nodded slowly, seemingly not convinced.

"Uh- yes, alright. Well then, Perseus, could you, um, take the wolves and…scout ahead. Just make sure the area is clear, and send Alpha and Gamma ahead to check the path. Have Beta lead one party while you lead the other and report back to me when you're done. Leave three wolves behind to watch over camp," she ordered. Percy nodded.

"Of course, My Lady."

Then, to the shock of the girls, he closed his eyes and began to transform. The air swirled around him, and as they watched, Percy slowly morphed into a midnight black wolf with piercing green eyes.

He nodded to Artemis before barking at the gathered pack. Within a minute, they had separated into three parties. With one last howl, Percy and the wolves bounded into the forest and were lost from view. Only three wolves remained behind – Ky, Zoe, and Aliki.

Artemis turned to Thalia.

"Explain," she ordered, and Thalia took a shuddering breath.

"When Percy fell into Tartarus, he changed. Something down there broke him, broke him so badly that he can't even talk about it. Nico suspects something happened to Percy that broke his peace with his ghosts," she explained.

"What does that mean?" Kiara asked.

"Well, long story short, when Percy, Nico, and I were in the Underworld one time, we ran into Melinoe-" the Hunters gasped, but Thalia plowed on.

"-and she said Percy didn't have any ghosts, as in people's whose deaths he regrets. He told her that he had made peace with them, and that they weren't ghosts anyway. But then, after Tartarus, he started having these episodes. Annabeth said they ran into these _arai_ curses. When killed, the curse would affect the person it was cast on, and in addition to the curse, would force the person to relive their worst nightmares.

"Spiders surrounded Annabeth, and a curse from Calypso made her think that Percy had abandoned her. Percy endured a lot of physical curses from monsters he had defeated, but also relived every one of his friends' deaths.

"From what Annabeth could gather, the curses showed him a version of his memories that made him blame himself, even more than he already does. He's now convinced that those deaths were his fault, and has had these episodes ever since." Thalia explained morosely.

"How often do these episodes occur?" Artemis asked.

"According to Annabeth, they aren't very common. He's only had two before. I was there for the second one, when people were ogling over the Argo II, and the Hephaestus cabin was talking about how Beckendorf would have loved it. Then someone accidentally kicked a vial of Greek fire over the railing and caused an explosion.

"No one was injured, but we gathered that the mention of Beckendorf right before the explosion in addition to the fear that someone had gotten hurt were similar enough to the circumstances of Beckendorf's death that it sent Percy into one of these episodes. It took us hours to snap him out of it.

"Annabeth and I stayed with him until she was finally able to calm him down, and I watched how she did it. Later, she explained to me what his episodes were and how to calm him down in case it happened when she wasn't around. I'm not as good at it as she is," she said, wincing and rubbing her hand.

"They don't happen very often, because it takes a lot to trigger it. Percy's usually so strong…but with loyalty being his fatal flaw, once a memory is triggered, the guilt overwhelms him so much that it's hard to snap him out of it." Thalia divulged.

Artemis' expression was unreadable, while the Hunters looked surprised and somewhat ashamed.

"So…when Phoebe accused him of killing Zoe…it triggered an episode? And made him think he really did kill her? Or that it was his fault she died?" Hadley asked. Thalia shook her head, then hesitated.

"Sort of. Percy's fatal flaw is loyalty. He blames himself for everything. So he does blame himself for Zoe's death. The episode is just him reliving the memory, and reliving all the guilt and grief he already feels, only with the feelings enhanced to the point where it's almost unbearable for him." Thalia explained.

The Hunters looked even guiltier.

"We didn't mean to make him feel that badly. We didn't know," Kate pleaded. Thalia shook her head.

"It doesn't matter what you meant or didn't mean to do – what's done is done. A simple accusation usually isn't enough to set him off, but he must have been pretty upset already with everything that's been going on. You just better thank the gods that Percy is who he is, or he'd have already quit," she said angrily.

"My Lady, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to scout ahead as well," Thalia said shortly, waiting for Artemis to give her permission.

Artemis nodded her consent. Throwing one last disgusted glare over her shoulder at Phoebe, Thalia slung her bow over her back and sprinted into the forest. Artemis looked after her before turning to her Hunters. They shifted their feet under her stern gaze.

"As punishment for the accusations made, those of you that voiced or supported the accusations will take over Perseus's duties. All of you can return to collecting and sharpening your own arrows, and doing your own laundry. It is obvious that I have let your distain for men go too far, if you are willing to treat them with the same disrespect they once showed you. I expected better from my Huntresses."

"Come, girls," she said, motioning to the younger Hunters. "It is time we left."

The younger girls grabbed their packs and gathered around Artemis, who waved at the tents and made them disappear. The other girls grabbed their stuff as well, not looking at each other as they followed after them and ran into the woods.

 **A/N: Pronunciation guide: Aliki (Al-ih-kai)**

 **Thanks so much everyone, and don't forget to leave a review! This story has hit over one hundred and fifty follows and over one hundred favorites, and I couldn't be happier! Thank you so so so much to everyone who reads this story – it means so much to me! Until next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

As he ran through the forest, keeping his eyes, nose, and ears alert for any sort of sound or disturbance, Percy thought back to the incident in the clearing. His memory was kind of foggy, foggy in a way he only faintly remembered.

He shook it off. As Ann- er, someone had once told him, sometimes it's better to move on. If your mind didn't remember something, it was usually for a reason.

With that thought in mind, he started thinking about how he felt at the moment _._ He discovered that he felt…lighter. Like a burden had been removed from his shoulders. The only thing he could bring myself to remember before Artemis had given him his task was Zoe's smiling face, and what Luna had said. Artemis had said the same thing earlier, and he was starting to think that they were right.

At the very least, they were sure that Zoe was happy in the stars, and as long as she was happy, Percy decided he could live with himself.

He felt happy and light, like he had let go of a burden. It was a good feeling. He thought back to the girls in the clearing, and tried to remember why it had seemed tense. He wasn't sure what had happened, only that they had been fighting. Fighting about…what? Something about it had made him feel…horrible. Beyond horrible – like he was falling into darkness.

Tenka, Jenna's wolf, barked at him, sensing his uneasiness, so he chose to ignore it and barked back in gratitude. After a few more minutes of running, his thoughts turned to his current form.

When he had first transformed, the wolves had been suspicious, and Alpha had been extremely defensive. It was only once Percy explained who he was and that he was Lady Artemis's guardian, and human, that they calmed down enough to accept him into the pack.

It took a little longer to convince Alpha to share the responsibility of pack leader, but he grudgingly agreed once Percy pointed out that he since he was human and was under Artemis's orders to lead the pack.

Percy quickly discovered that communicating with the wolves worked similarly to the way it did with Blackjack. The wolves mainly spoke in each other's minds, as they were Artemis's wolves and so were above average intelligence. Barks and howls had multiple meanings, which had to be interpreted through tone and body language. Percy was impressed by how synchronized the pack was, and felt himself melding to the pack's shared way of thinking.

Percy's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud yelp in his head. The sound came from the westward flank, meaning it was a member of Beta's group.

 _Beta – report. What's going on over there?_ Percy asked mentally.

 _ **Our eastern flank was attacked. A group of monsters. Two snake-females, a she-demon, and a small, winged two-leg with a pointy nose.**_ Beta replied instantly.

Percy felt rather then heard him barking orders to the other wolves in his group.

Thinking about Beta's descriptions, he determined that the wolves were facing two dracanae, an empousa, and…he wasn't sure what the last one was, but he knew it wouldn't be anything good.

 _ **Galaxy was injured, but not badly. We've separated, and I've sent Wilcox and Willow around the flanks, while Linea and I stay in sight of the monsters. Willow and Wilcox will surprise the monsters when we signal. We won't last long though. How far are you?**_

 _Not far. We'll be there in ten minutes. Can you hold out until then?_

 _ **Yes. Send Phelia and Devon to meet up with Willow and Wilcox. They are our fastest runners. If anyone can do it, they can.**_

 _Will do. We're on our way._ Percy replied.

Phelia and Devon broke off from the group and ran ahead, and Percy altered the wolves' course so they would run into Beta's group. He prayed that they would get there in time – Percy knew he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he lost a pack member to monsters he had easily defeated multiple times before.

Pumping his legs faster, Percy focused on the wolves running behind him. With a final burst of speed, they emerged from the underbrush and effortlessly merged with Beta's group. Falling into stride quickly, the wolves kept running.

 _The monsters?_ Percy panted, running beside Beta at the front of the pack.

 _ **Five minutes back. Lost them over a pile of rocks. Caused a rockslide. Will take them a few minutes.**_ He said shortly. They were all out of breath from the fast pace.

 _The Hunters?_ Percy asked, ignoring his screaming muscles.

 _ **Four miles back, three miles west. They should be out of range.**_ He replied.

 _Good. Now, Willow, drop back behind the monsters. Beta, take 3 wolves and stay on my right. Comrade, you and another 3 on my left. The rest of you, run ahead. When you hear us stop, circle back and wait for my command. I'm going to morph back. Wait for my signal. On the count of three, everyone take your positions._

 _One…_

Percy felt Willow's group take up their position behind the monsters, waiting for his command.

 _Two…._

Beta and Comrade's groups split, leaving the area behind Percy clear.

 _THREE!_

Skidding to a halt, Beta and Comrade's wolves swiveled around to face the trees behind them, spreading out behind Percy in the shape of a 'v.' Percy closed his eyes and concentrated, imagining shedding his wolf form.

When he opened his eyes, he was human again. And clothed, thank Poseidon. He quickly drew Riptide from his pocket and took up a battle stance. It wasn't long before he heard the monsters coming, trampling the undergrowth as they came.

As the first dracanae spotted the pack, she halted abruptly, causing the monsters running behind her to crash into her and lose their balance. Taking advantage of their momentary confusion, Percy leaped forward.

" _NOW!"_

Slashing at the first dracanae, Percy sliced just under her shield and through a chink in her armor, causing her to disintegrate. Beta's group charged the second dracanae, surrounding her and keeping her busy, while Comrade's group surrounded the empousa, who bared her fangs at Percy.

"Perseus Jackson," she hissed, smiling evilly.

Percy felt his eyes melt into flames in response, and the empousa's eyes widened in shock.

"I prefer Percy," he informed her, then lunged.

She swiped at him with her claws but missed, as she was forced to jump back when Tenka lept at her from the side. Miri closed in on her left, while Beka and Rowan growled from behind her. Duke guarded Percy's back.

He swiped at the empousa with his sword but she managed to dodge, clawing Percy's shoulder and ripping through the sleeve of his shirt in the process. After exchanging a series of swipes, he finally dispatched her with a slash through the heart after Rowan bit her ankle, distracting her. Turning, Percy saw Beta, Nova, Linea, and Erksen finish dealing with the other dracanae.

Percy looked for the last monster, but it was nowhere in sight. Listening carefully, he motioned for the pack to stay quiet.

 _Beta, status report on the Hunters._ He mentally requested, eyes searching the surrounding trees for the last monster.

 _ **Two miles back, one mile west. They're getting closer.**_ He replied. Percy thought for a moment before replying.

 _Willow, Erksen, Linea, and Nova, head back to warn them of the monsters, and bring them to this clearing. Rowan, Beka, Duke, and Miri, go with them. Protect them until they get here._

 _Phelia, Devon, Comrade, stay hidden and attack if any more monsters show up. The rest of you, scatter and guard this clearing._

 _Galaxy, head towards the Hunters as best you can and wait out in the open so they find you when they get closer. The rest of you guard him while- wait a second…where are Alpha and Gamma?_

 _Alpha, report._

Silence.

 _Alpha?_

 _Alpha?_

 _Gamma?_

 _Gamma, are you there?_

Nothing.

 _Okay guys, I don't know what happened to them, but we better keep our guard up. We'll watch for them on the path ahead. No one leave your position. I'm going to-_

Percy was interrupted by a shrill cackle from behind him. Whipping around, he found himself face to face with a…fairy? No, not a fairy.

This creature was completely green. It was short and stumpy, with an upturned nose like an elf. It had a little hat thing, and was dressed in leaves. It had green wings that were beating so fast they were a blur. Percy found himself thinking that didn't look very threatening, which, in his experience, probably meant it was the most deadly of the group.

He inched towards it slowly, raising his sword as it examined him curiously. Right before Percy could swing his sword down and cleave the thing in two, it darted away. Cursing, he stumbled after it.

He chased the blasted creature for who knew how long, slicing and weaving, dodging and swatting at it when it flew near his head. Not once did it go on the offence, instead choosing to duck and weave through the trees. That is, until they reached the edge of the forest.

Percy stumbled out of the tree line and was met with the edge of a cliff. The creature was hovering near the edge, but quickly started to morph. It grew fatter at an alarming rate, almost like it had swallowed a balloon that was blowing up with air from inside its stomach. Its green skin began to grow boils, and when it smiled, fangs glinted in its mouth. Claws extended from its fingertips, and its eyes narrowed threateningly.

Percy drew back, slightly freaked out by the sudden transformation, but lunged for the creature, slicing through its head and causing it to disintegrate into a little pile of dust. He didn't have long to revel in his victory, however, because his momentum sent him plunging down the hill.

He tumbled down the hillside, crashing through the underbrush. Branches whipped and stung his face and limbs as he fell, and a rock smashed into his shin painfully, but he somehow managed to keep from impaling himself on Riptide as he careened down the hill. His descent was brought to an abrupt end as he crashed through a bush and slammed head first into a rock.

 _Artemis is going to kill me…_ he thought blearily, before his vision blurred and everything went black.

 **A/N: Thank you all for reading! Review, and hopefully I can have the next chapter up in a couple of days. If anyone recognized some of the wolves' names, feel free to guess what books they were from! Thanks, and don't forget to review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Thalia ran through the trees, slowing to a stop when she saw a patch of yellow dust. Bending down, she grabbed a pinch and let it run through her fingers.

Monster dust.

Drawing her bow, she loaded it before slowly creeping forward, on alert for an attack from any angle. She stalked forward, but froze when she heard leaves rustling ahead. She crept towards the noise, placing her back against a tree and counted to three in her head.

 _Three!_

Thalia launched herself from behind the tree, whipping her bow up and aiming at the monster before her. She was startled by a yelp.

What she had assumed was a monster was really Galaxy, limping towards her with a severely injured leg. Thalia dropped to her knees and slung her bow over her shoulders.

"Galaxy! What are you doing here boy? Where's Beta? Where's Percy?" she asked him.

Of course, she couldn't understand him any more then he could understand her, which posed a problem. Only Lady Artemis could talk with the wolves. Thalia stood up shakily, hoping Percy was alright.

"Lady Artemis!" she called, knowing her mistress would hear her.

Indeed, within a matter of minutes, Lady Artemis broke through the trees at a sprint, the wolves Percy had sent at her feet.

"Thalia. Where is Perseus?" she asked sharply. Thalia pressed her lips together worriedly.

"I don't know. I had just found some monster dust when I ran into Galaxy, here. He's injured pretty badly," she informed Artemis, showing her Galaxy's leg.

Artemis bent down to inspect it, then held her hand over the mangled flesh. There was a small flash of silver light, and Artemis released Galaxy's leg, now fully healed. Galaxy barked, and Artemis smiled at him.

"You are quite welcome, Galaxy," she told him, before turning back to Thalia.

Before she could say anything, however, the rest of the wolves bounded into the clearing, having been sent back by Percy. Artemis held up her hand to signal Thalia to be quiet while she conversed with the wolves. When she was done, she turned to Thalia.

"What did they say?" she asked.

"They have informed me that Percy instructed them to return to guard us and Galaxy after he ran into some monsters. I'm told they dispatched two dracanae and an empousa, but that Percy ordered them to return and protect us while he went after the last creature. From their descriptions, the monster he is chasing is a Kobaloi, albeit in its most harmless form," Artemis informed her.

"What does that mean?" Thalia asked impatiently. Artemis looked at her solemnly.

"It means Percy could be in great danger," she said, and her voice sounded strained.

Before either of them could say anything more, the rest of the Hunters broke through the tree line and entered the clearing. The group stopped abruptly as they noted Artemis and Thalia's worried faces and the presence of the wolves.

"Where's Percy? I found this really cool shiny rock thing I want to show him!" Ally chirped excitedly, before sensing the tension in the clearing.

"What's wrong?" she asked, brow furrowing, "What's going on? Where's Percy?"

Artemis and Thalia shared a glance.

"We don't know," Artemis said gently. Cali looked up at her.

"But, you can find him, right? I mean, you are a goddess," she reasoned. Artemis looked pained.

"As a rule, Guardians are un-trackable by anyone, including gods and titans. It is a protective power that prevents anyone from being able to track the Guardian as a means of discovering either me or the Hunt, in case we are in danger and I choose to disguise our location. Because of this, Percy's mind is isolated, and his scent is masked. I cannot find him, nor can any of the Olympians – in fact, I doubt anyone other then Chaos herself can find him," she told the girls grimly.

The little girls all had varying expressions of worry etched on their faces, and Ally's eyes were watering.

"B-but he's our brother! You can't just…give up on him!" she cried desperately.

Artemis tried to soothe her.

"Ally, we are not giving up on him. We just can't find him-" she began.

She was interrupted by a whisper from Phoebe.

"Why not? Let's just leave him here," she sneered. Artemis looked up sharply.

"What was that?" she snarled. Phoebe looked down.

"Nothing, My Lady," she mumbled.

Artemis glowered at her but turned back to Ally.

"As I was saying, we are _not_ giving up on him. We just have to sit tight and wait for him to find us," she placated. Ally nodded and sniffed.

"But what about our mission, My Lady? We can't just ignore Lord Zeus," Arietta reminded her. Artemis bit her lip.

"Well…we will wait until sundown. If Perseus hasn't returned by then, we will have to go on, and he will have to catch up with us. If he doesn't meet us at the school, then we'll go to Lord Zeus and have him find him, somehow. We _will_ ," she planned, sounding determined.

Ally looked heartbroken. Seeing her face, Artemis quickly made an amend to her declaration.

"But until then, we will certainly send out search parties. Why don't we start now?" Artemis offered. Ally nodded fiercely.

"Okay, girls, split up into your hunting groups. Take one or two wolves per group. The rest of the wolves, split up and search on your own, in pairs or groups of three. You won't be able to smell Percy, I don't think, so be extra thorough in your search. Everyone meet back here by sundown. Howl if you find him, as we should be in close enough vicinity to hear each other. Be careful. Now, go!" she ordered.

The Hunters split into groups and ran into the forest, hoping that when they returned, it would be with Percy.

 _Or not…_ some of the older girls thought as they ran. They smirked as they looked at the sky and saw that the sun was already sinking behind the clouds.

****Line Break****

One by one, the search groups trickled back into the clearing. Phoebe's group was the first to return. Ally and Thalia's were the last, emerging as the last speck of sunlight disappeared behind the mountains. Ally had fresh tear tracks streaking down her face, and Thalia looked distressed.

"No sign of him, My Lady," Thalia stated flatly. Her eyeliner was smudged slightly.

"Maybe he ran off," Skylar suggested. Thalia's eyes flashed.

"His fatal flaw is loyalty, Skylar. And I would be careful of who you make an enemy of, if I were you." Artemis intervened, staring Skylar down. She dropped her gaze to the ground, and Artemis turned away.

"As much as it pains me to leave a member of our Hunt behind, we cannot disobey Lord Zeus's orders…I'm sorry, but we must continue on without him," Artemis asserted, looking at the younger girls apologetically. This time, Ally wasn't the only one crying.

"Lady Artemis, we can't leave Percy behind! He's our brother!" Cali wailed.

"He's our family now! He promised to protect us, so we have to protect him too!" Lexi reasoned through her tears. Even Luna had water gathering in her eyes.

"Percy was loyal to us even when some of us weren't to him. Is this how we repay him?" she accused, her chin still held high. It broke Artemis's heart to see the girls so distraught, but she had other responsibilities.

"Come, girls. We have to go," she said, resigned.

She began to lead the girls out of the clearing, the older girls discreetly high fiving behind her. Only Thalia and the little girls held their ground.

"No," Ally declared. Artemis froze.

"Excuse me?" she asked incredulously, turning around to find the younger girls huddled together, arms all crossed in defiance. Thalia stood behind them.

"As well as Percy can take care of himself, I agree with the squirts. We can't leave him. That Kelp Head had to have gotten himself into trouble, otherwise he'd be back by now." Thalia asserted.

Artemis was displeased, but not entirely shocked. Something about Percy had inspired deep bonds of affection in the girls remaining defiantly in the clearing, and while she was pleased they accepted him, that did not mean she allowed disobedience in her Hunters.

She was about to put her foot down when Ally gasped suddenly. All eyes were on her as she fumbled for her coat sleeve. Pulling it up to reveal her silver charm bracelet, she grabbed the moon charm desperately. It shimmered and transformed into the hunting horn, just as Percy had said it would, and before the other girls could stop her or warn her of the consequences, Ally took a deep breath and blew into the horn as hard as she could.

A clear, pure note resonated from the horn, and the sound echoed off the surrounding mountains for a few seconds before fading out. After waiting for a minute or two, Ally blew it again, unwilling to give up.

After the second blare had faded without any hint of a reply, Ally's shoulders slumped in defeat. Her horn shimmered and returned to its charm form, and she sat and cried quietly into her hands.

 *****Line Break*****

Percy groaned, attempting to sit up before falling back on his elbows due to an intense wave of vertigo. After a few seconds, he managed to sit up, clutching his head and wondering what had happened. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a horn blaring across the valley.

 _Why would someone sound – ow – a horn?_ Percy thought to himself, wincing as he stood up gingerly. He was checking the condition of his wings when the realization hit him.

 _Ally's horn! She's in danger!_

Ignoring his injuries, Percy immediately scrambled up the hill he had tumbled down, determined to get to Ally and save her as fast as he could. Recognizing that his wings were damaged, he didn't dare attempt to fly, but ran as fast as he could towards where the sound had come from.

 _Hurry, hurry, hurry._ He chanted, pushing himself to go faster as he began to recognize the woods around him.

After a few more minutes, Percy tripped over a tree root and stumbled into a clearing, wincing as a muscle in his wing twinged painfully. Before he could get his bearings, he heard his name being called, and had barely managed to look up before he was jerked backwards by a force colliding with his legs.

Looking down, he recognized Ally's brown hair and picked her up despite the throb of pain the action sent shooting through his wing and leg.

"What happened, Ally? Are you all right? What's wrong?" he questioned frantically, searching her for injuries and looking around for danger despite being almost dead on his feet.

"Percy! Percy, you came back!" she sobbed into his shoulder, holding him in a vice-like grip. Percy winced.

"Ah – of course I came back Ally-Cat," he teased, breathing in sharply when she squeezed a little too tightly.

Soon his legs were assaulted by the other little girls as well.

"I'm okay…I'm okay. It's alright, I'm here." He reassured them, a little dazed.

His head was still spinning, as if someone had stuck him on a merry-go-round set on high speed.

"But what's the problem? Why-why did you sound the horn?" Percy asked, undeterred. Ally laughed shakily.

"To call you. You got lost and didn't come back, and we had to leave. Lady Artemis was going to make us leave without you. W-we didn't want to, but we couldn't find you, and- and-," she hiccupped, her eyes finally drying.

Percy let out a relieved breath.

"Thank the gods. I thought you were in danger – I got back as fast as I could, but I-" he began, but Artemis cut him off.

"Where were you, Perseus? You've been gone for over 5 hours. We've been searching for you all afternoon," she demanded, hiding her relief that he was safe behind her anger.

"I-I'm sorry my lady, I…I don't know what happened. I was chasing one of the monsters, this green fairy thing, and I almost had it, but then it started to transform so I lunged at it and killed it, but I fell down a pretty steep hill and I must have hit my head on a rock and passed out or something…that's all I remember up until I woke up and heard Ally's horn, and I came as fast as I could," he panted.

His head was spinning, and he set Ally down gently.

Artemis's face softened after hearing his explanation. She had guessed as much, but a small part of her had wondered if he had been neglecting his duties, and had assumed the worst. Now she regretted misjudging him.

"Perseus…" she began, but changed what she was going to say when she noticed him beginning to sway.

"Are you alright?" she asked instead, sounding concerned. Percy raised a hand to stop her.

"'m alright…" he slurred, his eyes unfocusing slightly, "just…need to lie down…"

Percy's eyes fluttered closed as he collapsed. The little girls shrieked and crowded around him fretfully, but moved aside as Artemis rushed over. She took a look at Percy, but could see no serious visual injuries.

"Curse it," she muttered. "Can't see what's wrong…"

Thalia was kneeling by Percy's head.

"Lady Artemis, you have to help him," Ally pleaded. Artemis looked up at her.

"I can't tell what's wrong…he must have internal injuries, ones I can't see. I'll need some help…" she sighed.

"As reluctant as I am to do this, we need help," she spoke aloud to the group. She looked up to the sky and yelled.

"APOLLO!"

It wasn't the most dignified way of calling her brother, but it would have to do. She snapped her fingers and her chariot appeared next to her.

"Thalia, help me with Percy. We need to get him into the chariot," she ordered. They had just managed to secure Percy on the floor of the chariot when Apollo flashed in, without his car.

"Hey Sis, what's up?" he asked, sliding his shades down the bridge of his nose. Artemis glared.

"I don't have time for that. Perseus is injured, and I cannot tell what is wrong. I need you to heal him for me," she demanded.

Apollo immediately became serious, taking in Percy's condition.

He walked over to Percy and placed his hand on his forehead, grimacing.

"Oh, ouch," he said, wincing.

Closing his eyes, Apollo concentrated as gold light surrounded his hand and flowed into Percy's forehead, where it was absorbed into his body. After a minute, Apollo removed his hand and walked back to Artemis.

"He's pretty banged up. You can't see anything more than a few bruises, but he came pretty close to fracturing his skull. His wings are also totaled. I've healed him up pretty well, but even with his advanced healing he'll need to rest for at least a day or so. You'll need to feed him some nectar and ambrosia when he wakes up – not too much, but a few squares should do the trick. He should be up and at 'em within a day, but no flying for at least two days," he diagnosed.

Artemis breathed a sigh of relief, but disguised it as a snort of contempt.

"Are you positive?" she snapped. Apollo rolled his eyes.

"Hey, just doing my job. And _you're_ the one who called _me_ , if I recall," he reminded her. Artemis calmed down a little.

"I'm sorry, Apollo. Thank you for helping him," she apologized. Apollo smiled.

"Of course. Percy's cool, and anything for my little sis. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything else," he offered, winking at the Hunters before flashing out.

Looking back at her chariot, Artemis sighed. She didn't like using it much – especially not with all of her Hunters – as it was draining, but this was an emergency. She clapped her hands and enlarged the chariot, creating room for each of the girls.

"Come on girls, load up. We've got a long ride ahead of us."

 **A/N: Thanks so much everyone! Read and review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

As they loaded up the chariot, Percy grew slightly restless. Artemis froze when he began to mutter under his breath.

"Alpha…" he grunted, shifting slightly. Artemis's eyes widened.

"Alpha and Gamma! Where are they?" she asked.

 _Perseus sent Alpha and Gamma ahead to scout. We haven't heard from them since._ Beta replied.

Artemis looked concerned.

"Give me a moment," she said. She closed her eyes and scrunched her brow, concentrating.

 _Alpha, Gamma, report._ She emanated.

No response.

She concentrated harder, focusing on their life forces. She sensed them miles away. They weren't moving, which worried her. Her speculations were interrupted by a murmur.

"You're…cute…when you're worried," Percy muttered, half conscious.

Artemis started, her eyes jolting open.

"What?" she snapped, startled.

Inside, she felt kind of warm, but she quickly quenched the feeling, chalking it up to relief that Percy wasn't dead.

Percy smiled softly.

"I…said…you're cute when you're worried," he murmured again, his eyes already beginning to flutter closed. Artemis merely stared at him.

"W-What do you…I mean…H-how dare you!" she tried half-heartedly.

Percy didn't reply; he had already fallen asleep again. Artemis shook her head slightly, completely confused as to what had just happened. She turned to Thalia, who was walking up behind her.

"All packed and ready to go, My Lady," she reported faithfully. Artemis nodded.

"Load the girls. Send Kiara and Kaelyn to get Alpha and Gamma. They are five miles southeast. Have them take Beka and Tenka – they work well together. On second thought, send Willow and Wilcox with them too. They may need some extra protection. We'll give them half an hour to return. Go." She ordered.

Thalia nodded before jogging off to tell her sisters. Once she reached them, Artemis watched her pass on the orders. The two girls in question nodded, then called to the assigned wolves before sprinting off into the forest. Artemis turned back to the chariot.

She looked at Percy's unconscious form once more before turning to help her Hunters. Before she could get too far, however, a bright light flashed and a note dropped onto Percy's head. Artemis picked it up.

 _Sis,_

 _I thought I'd leave a doctor's note behind – you know, keep up the professional reputation and all. So, for Percy, make sure he has lots of rest. He should be fed nectar and ambrosia once he has woken._

 _He'll drift in and out of consciousness for a while, so don't feed him any until he's been awake for a bit. Make sure you watch him carefully, and if he gets any worse, just give me a holler._

 _He should be able to talk, and from what I've heard, he sleep-talks, so watch out. He may say random things too, probably whatever's on his mind at the moment. He's suspended in a kind of dream-state._

 _He should be fine within a day or so, maybe earlier if his powers help him heal faster then I anticipated. He'll be fine though. He's tough._

 _Don't let him get beat up too much though – he needs to take it easy for a couple days, but he should be back to normal in a week or less. You're welcome!_

 _Your awesome brother,_

 _Apollo_

Shaking her head at her brother's foolish antics, Artemis pocketed the note and proceeded to gather all the Hunters and load them into the chariot.

****LINE BREAK****

Kiara, Kaelyn, and the wolves arrived back soon, carrying the limp forms of Alpha and Gamma. Artemis rushed to meet them.

"What's wrong with them?" she questioned, dropping to her knees beside the still forms.

"We don't know, My Lady. There seems to be nothing wrong with them, yet they won't wake up." Kiara informed her. Artemis nodded brusquely.

"Alright, give me a moment," she said, placing her hands on the wolves and closing her eyes. After a moment, she breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed.

"They're fine. Gamma got knocked out and Alpha was tranquilized. They'll wake up in an hour or so, but I don't envy them the headaches they'll have when they do. Anyway, load them onto the chariot. Ky too." Artemis ordered.

She thought for a moment then whistled to the pack.

"Beta! Meet us in Newtown, Connecticut by sunrise. I don't care how you do it, but you need to get there. Clear?" she asked.

Beta barked sharply in reply. He nodded once to Artemis, took one last look at Percy, then howled and raced off into the forest, the pack not far behind him.

Artemis watched them run until she couldn't see them anymore. When even her vision lost sight of their swiftly running forms, she climbed into her chariot and took the reins. As they rose above the trees, she looked over at Percy, resisting the sudden urge to sweep his hair out of his closed eyes.

Shaking her head, she let out a deep breath and focused on the moon, relaxing and growing serene at the sight of it in the night sky.

****LINE BREAK****

Once they landed, Artemis shook each of the girls awake, including Thalia, who had drifted off as they were passing over the Connecticut border. Phoebe and Thalia got the girls' tent up pretty quickly, and were able to carry the four little ones to bed with the aid of Arianna and Lydia.

Thalia returned for Percy, and recruited Kate and Hadley to help. Grunting, they lowered him onto the grass beside the chariot, unsure of where to put him, as he had no tent.

Once Artemis had taken care of the chariot, she waved her hand and her tent appeared. The older girls began to set up camp despite the late hour as Artemis contemplated what to do with Percy.

Thalia and the other two girls waited for her decision, contemplating whether or not they could lift Percy into a tree or not. They froze in shock when they heard her verdict.

"He can stay in my tent for the night," Artemis decided reluctantly. Then she noticed the girls' faces.

"It will do no harm. He is unconscious, and my brother said to watch him carefully. He has no tent of his own, and I will not neglect him and leave him outside all night. I am assured that he is not welcome in your tent, so I will not argue with you there," she told them, and Thalia closed her mouth, though her eyes remained narrowed.

She knew Artemis spoke the truth.

As the girls carried Percy into Artemis's tent, the others having retired to bed, Artemis waved her hand and another bed appeared across from hers. Thalia, Kate, and Hadley lowered Percy onto the bed, then said goodnight and joined their sisters in their tent.

Once the flap closed behind them, Artemis turned towards Percy, who was breathing steadily. Looking at his face, Artemis felt her features soften. He looked so innocent, so harmless in his sleep. Before she could control herself, she reached out and ran her hand through Percy's hair.

Startled at herself, Artemis turned to her bed when she felt her hand brush Percy's. She paused for a moment, surprised, and Percy's hand curled around hers. Artemis's breath hitched, looking down at their hands. They were barely touching, yet sparks were racing up her fingers.

Gently untangling her hand from Percy's, and smiling a bit at the slight sound of protest that emitted from his lips, Artemis flashed into her sleep wear and climbed into her bed.

She stared at the roof of the tent and listened to the sound of Percy's steady breathing beside her, only one thought remaining in her head as she drifted off to sleep.

 _What's happening to me?_

 **A/N: That's the chapter! Hope you all liked it! Read and review! It motivates me to write faster! Thanks!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Percy slowly blinked his eyes open, squinting as they adjusted to the dark. _Where am I?_ He thought to himself, before focusing on a quiet noise coming from beside him.

Turning his head with difficulty, he made out the sleeping form of Artemis. As he slowly pieced it together, his eyes widened.

Was he in Artemis's tent? What was he doing in here? Had she _let_ him stay here?

He sorted through his memories, trying to piece the whole thing together.

 ***Flashback***

 _He was talking to Ally in the clearing…but then everything went black and fuzzy. He must have passed out._

 _The next thing he remembered was a golden glow…maybe Apollo? That would make sense…Then he remembered being moved._

 _It hurt, but he couldn't open his eyes. When he was finally able to, he saw Artemis in front of him, looking worried. Her brow was scrunched together, her eyes squeezed shut, and he couldn't help himself._

" _You're cute when you're worried," he had told her. His vision was kind of blurry, and everything was sort of swaying._

 _"W-What?" she had stuttered, jumping slightly. He tried for a smile. She was even cuter when she was startled._

" _I said…you're cute when you're worried," Percy repeated. His vision was starting to go black again. The last thing he saw before he was pulled under was a bewildered Artemis looking down at him, the stars reflecting in her beautiful silver eyes._

 ***End flashback** *

Percy rubbed his head, wincing as he did. He had another memory, though it was much fainter then the last.

 ***FLASHBACK***

 _His eyes fluttered open, stinging slightly. He could feel wind whipping through his hair, but couldn't bring himself to move. When his eyes stopped watering enough to focus, he found his gaze locked on Artemis._

 _He could see her profile as she gazed up at the moon. Her normally guarded expression melted away in the moonlight. She looked beautiful, almost glowing. She looked so serene and peaceful, and his heart ached to think that she only felt comfortable allowing this part of her to show when she was alone._

 _Percy vowed to himself that he would be the one to break through her shell. He had never seen her smile before, not really, and he resolved to fix that. He knew it would be as luminescent as the moon, and as bright as the stars._

 _With that completely cliche thought in mind, he once again drifted off to sleep._

 ***End flashback** *****

He also had the slightest hint of a dream…Just the barest traces of a memory. He remembered feeling comforted, and his hand had felt warm and tingly, like when Annabeth used to hold his hand. But this didn't feel like Annabeth…who was it then? It couldn't have been Artemis…could it? That, or it had all just been a dream.

Biting back a groan as he sat up, Percy swung his legs to the edge of the bed. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from swearing as he attempted to stand. The last thing he wanted to do was wake Artemis. She looked so vulnerable in her sleep. He watched her for a moment before shaking his head and hobbling to the flap of the tent.

Lifting it with his arm and wincing as his muscles protested, he limped out into the moonlight and sat in front of the tent. Percy slowly unfurled his wings, his hands clenching into fists when he felt how injured they were. Once he had them fully opened, he lay back carefully on the grass, watching the stars.

His thoughts drifted to Zoe, and how different things would be if she was here. Percy's gaze landed upon her constellation – the Huntress, by far his favorite constellation. He prayed to the gods, hoping that she was happy up in the stars. Maybe Bob was up there with her.

Trying to move on from that train of thought, Percy's thoughts turned to Artemis. He wondered about what had happened while he had been out, trying to sort through the fogginess in his mind.

He had noticed that lately she had been taking on a slightly older form, looking more like a seventeen year old then her usual thirteen year old self. He felt that it suited her.

Musing, Percy admired how she was always so confident. Even if she was wrong, Artemis merely brushed it off and kept her head held high. Percy liked it. Her strength was also something she didn't allow anyone to forget, but Percy could see the vulnerability she hid behind it. She rarely let it show, but he could see past her mask for brief moments, like when she gave Ky to Ally, or when he had stumbled through the trees and relief was evident on her face…

He mentally smacked himself.

 _She's a maiden goddess, you Kelp Head. No, I take that back, she's THE maiden goddess. She turns boys into jackalopes, for crying out loud! You can't go and fall in love with her, you just can't. Zeus knows she already has enough reasons to hate you._

Hie followed this line of thought for a while before he felt himself falling back to sleep. He tried to stumble back to his bed, but my vision darkened before he could get very far, and he felt himself tumble to the ground before he went completely under.

****LINE BREAK****

Artemis woke up feeling tired, as always. Her power dimmed during the day, as the moon was overshadowed by the sun. She sat up and yawned slightly, snapping her fingers to comb her hair, make the bed, change her clothes, and brush her teeth instantly. Glancing over to Percy's bed, she suddenly froze.

It was empty. The sheets were rumpled, so she hadn't dreamt the whole thing, but that wasn't very comforting considering he was missing. Her breathing sped as she began to worry. She quickly checked the interior of the tent, thinking maybe he had sleep-walked in the middle of the night or fallen out of bed. The tent was empty, and nothing had been moved.

Hurrying out of her tent, Artemis found herself hoping that Percy was with the girls or checking in with the wolves, even, when she tripped over something lying in front of her tent and was sent sprawling in the grass.

She was on her feet in a matter of seconds, her bow loaded and aimed, legs tensed and ready for an attack. To her surprise, however, she encountered not a monster, but a groaning, stirring Perseus. She relaxed almost instantly, throwing her bow over her shoulder and hurrying to his side. It was early enough that no one else was awake; Artemis herself was usually the one to wake them.

"Percy? Perseus? Are you all right?" she asked breathlessly, kneeling down beside him. She could feel that her eyes were wide with worry, and mentally chastised herself for acting like such a fool. She did _not_ care about Perseus – she didn't even like him, really. She was merely concerned for his well-being. Wasn't she?

"Ughouchwhat'sgoingon?" he slurred, rubbing his head as he sat up. Artemis's lips twitched slightly at his boyish antics, and he blinked up at her blearily. When he saw who it was, he flushed slightly.

"Oh, My Lady, my apologies! I didn't mean to, uh…What did I do, exactly?" he asked, blinking up at her in confusion. A small smile flitted across her face.

"Well, Perseus, I woke up and you were gone. I walked out here to find you and tripped over you…What are you doing out here anyway?" she asked him, suddenly curious as to how he had gotten out of the tent.

"Oh, I uh, woke up last night and couldn't sleep…I made my way out here and uh, must have passed out before I could make it back inside," he explained, running a hand through his hair and wincing at the movement.

"Ah," he moaned, breathing in sharply. Artemis remembered what her brother had said, realizing that she hadn't given Percy any nectar or ambrosia yet.

"Oh, here. My brother said to give you this when you woke. It will help," she told him, offering him some ambrosia from a pouch attached to her belt.

Percy smiled his thanks before gulping it down, and she found herself beginning to smile back without thinking. Before she completely lost control, however, she caught herself, the slight smile quickly disappearing.

She made to stand up, and noticed Percy slump slightly, seemingly disappointed. Artemis couldn't help wondering why. Brushing herself off, she offered him a hand, which he accepted gratefully. She pulled him up, and sparks shot up her arm at the contact. Her arm faltered, but Percy was already upright, standing in front of her.

Artemis looked up into his eyes, about to make a sarcastic comment, when she suddenly forgot what she was going to say. She stared into his eyes, examining the sea green color, the hint of mirth in their depths, and…something else. She was captivated. She saw not a hint of cruelty within him, not an evil bone in his body.

Sea green had never been an appealing color to her, as she preferred more muted, natural tones. Now however, she saw the beauty in it. It held every depth of the ocean locked inside of it, and she felt that she could see everything about the hero in front of her within those depths.

Artemis suddenly became aware of their proximity, not having noticed that their hands were still clasped. She was the one to break the trance, clearing her throat slightly and stepping away. Percy looked away as well, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I should go wake the girls," Artemis said at last, breaking the silence. Percy nodded, before smiling impishly. Artemis was instantly wary.

"Can I help?" he asked, grinning.

She appraised him, trying to read his intentions, before nodding slowly. His face broke out into a goofy grin that was very childlike. Artemis couldn't help but smile back at him slightly. His cheerful attitude was contagious.

Seemingly without thinking, Percy grabbed Artemis's hand and tugged her toward the girls' tent. She went along with it, letting him pull her to the tent. Before they entered, he made a shushing gesture, putting his finger to his lips, then snuck inside.

Artemis slipped in behind him, letting the flap of the tent settle closed silently. As her eyes instantly adjusted to the lighting, she spotted Perseus towards the back of the tent, by the little girls' beds. He crept in between Cali and Ally's beds first. Artemis watched with interest, wondering what he was up to.

Percy extended his hands to either side, lowering them slowly onto the girls before tickling them wildly. They both woke up giggling and shrieking, but Percy quickly motioned for them to be quiet, and they immediately hushed, still beaming from Percy's prank.

He crept over and did the same to Luna and Alexis, then gathered the four together and whispered to them. They all nodded and giggled before moving back to the front of the tent. Artemis couldn't help smirking when she saw their target.

Thalia.

Percy held up a finger.

 _One._

 _Two._

"THREE!" Percy roared suddenly, causing Artemis to jump in surprise.

He and the little girls tackled Thalia, tickling her and showing no mercy. She woke abruptly, her shouting muffled, but her angry exclamations soon dissolved into a laugh as the girls found her weak points. The other Hunters were startled awake at the noise, and most of them jumped to their feet, looking alarmed and confused.

When they saw what was happening, some of them looked unsure what to do. Others looked downright murderous, but refrained from acting when they noticed Artemis's amusement. A few of the more friendly girls looked at each other, smiles growing on their faces. As one, they joined the fray, tackling their younger sisters and setting upon each other as well.

Seeing them all enjoying themselves accompanied by hearing such contagious giggles, Artemis found that she couldn't help but laugh a little herself. Giggling and shrieking filled the air, and she noticed a mischievous look in Thalia's eyes before her Lieutenant suddenly shouted to the others.

"Unite! Get the Guardian!" she shrieked, a glint in her eyes.

Immediately, all the girls turned and tackled Percy, causing him to tumble off the bed and onto the floor. The girls were shrieking and laughing, Percy himself protesting loudly.

All of a sudden, Perseus's protests turned to a hearty, contagious laugh that sent the little girls into peals of laughter. They had evidently found his ticklish spot, and they had Percy writhing under them, at their mercy.

"Uncle, Uncle!" he cried breathlessly, and the girls piled off of him, still laughing and staggering around. Percy stood up, beaming.

"Oh, that was great!" he crowed, brushing himself off. Ally giggled.

"That was the best wake up ever!" she beamed up at him. Lydia smiled.

"It was, wasn't it?" she asked, looking around.

Kaelyn, Kiara, Hadley, and many of the other girls nodded and smiled. Arianna and Kate smiled softly at their little sisters, happy to see them so carefree. Even Phoebe and Skylar loosened up a little, letting their scowls soften a few degrees.

As she watched her Hunters pick themselves up and chatter among themselves, Artemis smiled a little to herself. She watched as Thalia put Percy in a headlock, ruffling his hair despite his protests. When she released him, together they bent down and resumed tickling Ally. Cali and Alexis were sneaking up on Lydia and Kate, while Luna discreetly distracted them with a funny story.

The other girls were beginning to get ready for the day, combing their hair and making their beds. Artemis smiled, watching her little family getting along for the first time since Percy's arrival. It seemed that maybe letting Perseus into the Hunt might have been a beneficial decision after all.

 **A/N: Hope you liked it, and please continue to review! It helps me write faster! ;) Thanks, and until next time!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

After breakfast – prepared by Percy, of course – Artemis called the group together.

"Alright everyone. It's time. This mission requires stealth and speed. We need to get in and out without drawing attention, and dispose of these monsters quickly and without incident.

"From our satyr reports, we have a couple young demigods in the school, which will make this even harder, as we do not want them seeing through the Mist and discovering us. It would only put them in more danger. If you are discovered, bring the child here and we will deal with it accordingly.

"Now, the Kobaloi are posing as the office staff, the lunch ladies, and the yard aids. Thankfully, this means they will most likely not be in classrooms, and will be found in offices and areas that are frequently unoccupied. This will make our job significantly easier.

"All right, now, I'll lead one group, and the others will be led by Perc-Perseus and Thalia. On second thought, Phoebe, you'll lead one as well. Phoebe, you, Skylar, and the little girls will wait outside. Guard the entrances and make sure the authorities do not make it inside the building until all of us are out, if it comes to that. Manipulate the Mist if you have to, but don't attract attention and don't let anyone past you.

"Thalia, you take Jenna, Arianna, and Kaelyn and cover the lunch ladies. I'll take Arietta, Lydia, and Anya and get the two yard aids, as they'll be able to escape more easily. Perseus, you will take Hadley, Kiara, and Kate and cover the office staff. The wolves will stay here and guard the camp.

"We have three hours. We are going to have to have impeccable timing in order to attack during times when the children are in class and not in the hallways or cafeteria. It's eight o'clock now, so we'll need to wait until nine to enter the school. From there, handle it as you please, just get the job done discreetly. It is imperative that none of the monsters escape.

"A fair warning about Kobaloi - they're nasty creatures. They have many forms. Thankfully, our sources tell me most of them are young, and so are not as powerful. The sources could not determine if there were any adults, but you will know if you find one. They are much more powerful and intelligent, and are capable of much more destruction. No matter their age, try to dispatch them before they morph, and above all, be careful.

"Now, everyone grab your things. We have fifteen minutes before we head out," Artemis dictated.

Everyone scattered to find their things, and Artemis walked to the top of the hill. She looked out across the town spread before them, hoping that all would go well.

Percy, meanwhile, was helping the little girls. He was nervous for them, but found comfort in the fact that they would be as safe as possible. Nevertheless, he pulled out a few new charms for Ally's bracelet.

"Ally," he called. She skipped over.

"Yes Percy?" she asked sweetly. Percy bent down to her level.

"Here," he offered, attaching the charms. Ally admired them as Percy explained what they did.

"Okay, so the conch shell lets me know if you're in danger. If that happens, I'll come as soon as possible. I made it after I realized sounding your horn every time you needed me wasn't very effective, and could possibly be dangerous if there are monsters around to hear it.

"The glass bubble creates a magical shield around you and anyone near you, but will only be able to last for about ten minutes before it shuts down and needs to regenerate. The mirror acts as a sort of map. It can show you anything that is touched by natural light.

"And lastly, the little vial is a healing tonic - one of Apollo's recipes. If you or any of the Hunters get hurt, use it. It will automatically regenerate, so no need to worry about it running out. It also works on mortals, but only use a drop or two; otherwise it's too potent. For demigods and immortals, give them the full bottle...I hope that's enough, I thought that it covered about everything…." Percy told her, trailing off as he tried to think about anything he might have forgotten. Ally giggled.

"Thank you Percy! I'll be okay, though, because you're coming, and you promised to protect us!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with trust and innocence. Percy smiled back at her, trying to hide how her words affected him.

"Wait a second, how do you make this stuff?" she asked, suddenly wondering how exactly Percy made all of her magical charms. Percy shrugged.

"Gods' blessings come with a lot of power. I control at least some aspect of almost all of their elements, so it's easy enough for me to create things. The glass bubble and conch shell are part of my father's domain, the mirror Aphrodite's, and the healing tonic Apollo's, obviously.

"Chaos's blessing also helps with the magic stuff. Honestly, I don't really know how it works. Now c'mon, lets go help your sisters," he told her, grabbing her hand and leading her over to Cali, who was having trouble with her sheath of arrows.

Not much later, the Hunters were ready. After a quick run, they stopped in the trees bordering the back of the school.

"Okay, Phoebe, get your group into position. I'll distract the mortals at the front door. The office is a little ways in, and the Mist should obscure you, but only for a few minutes, so hurry. Let's go." Artemis ordered.

Phoebe motioned to the little kids and they all ran swiftly to their positions around the perimeter. Luckily for them, the school had plant life and shrubbery bordering the school, and had quite a few trees close to the windows that provided good hiding places.

Percy watched as Ally and Cali climbed nearby trees, while Luna, Alexis, and Skylar hid in bushes outside the front doors. Phoebe ran around the side of the building and ducked into a space between the back door and the wall that was hidden by a small shelf. She could see and hear everything without being seen or heard herself.

The school only had two exits, so they didn't have to worry too much about the monsters – other then the two yard aids – escaping outside. However, that also meant that if things went wrong, it'd be hard to get the mortals out. They would just have to hope it didn't come to that.

Artemis led the way, placing her hand on the doors to unlock them before slipping inside. Percy was the last to go in, and took one last look behind him before shutting the door and hearing it latch softly behind him.

Artemis led her group around a corner, heading for what Percy knew to be the yard aids 'office'. It was located in the back of the school, and so hopefully wouldn't attract much attention.

Percy watched Thalia and her group sneak into the cafeteria across the hall, then positioned himself outside the office door so that when it opened and people came out, he could jump them before they noticed him. That way, if a mortal came out, he could let them get by and then corner any monsters. The girls followed his example, pressing themselves up against the wall.

Moments later, loud clanging and banging sounds emitted from the cafeteria. Percy tensed, and the girls with him drew their bows. He waited for the office door to open, and a moment later it did. Percy sucked in a breath, hoping a monster would poke its head out first, and not a mortal.

Of course, with his luck, the mortal principal stepped out the door, slightly alarmed. Percy cursed, than snapped his fingers. He had never been good at controlling the mist, but this time it worked. The mortal looked around, shrugged, then shut the door behind her and walked down the hall to the teacher's lounge, in the opposite direction of the monsters.

Percy breathed a sigh of relief before turning back to the open door. He motioned to the other girls to follow him, than crept towards it. Right as he was about to walk into the doorframe and reveal his presence, a lady with brown hair, bright green eyes, and glasses stuck her head out with a scowl. She immediately locked her gaze on Percy, who drew in a breath.

Those eyes were _definitely_ not normal. Before he could move, however, her eyes widened and she disappeared with a slight 'pop'. Percy refrained from swearing. Then he heard a giggle coming from his right, and saw a fairy like creature, fairly similar to the one he encountered in the woods, hovering about four feet above the stairs leading to the lower level. This time, Percy did swear.

"I'll cover this one, you guys get the others!" he ordered in a tone low enough not to raise suspicion, but loud enough that the girls would hear him. They nodded and pushed the door open wider, darting into the room with restrained battle cries.

Percy ran after the creature, watching as it darted down the steps and around a corner. Following it down a hallway, it finally stopped outside a classroom. The door was slightly ajar, allowing fresh air to enter the classroom. Percy could see a pretty young teacher showing some first graders how to do an arts-and-crafts project that apparently required a lot of colored paper and glue.

"Oh no you don't!" Percy hissed, lunging at the creature. He managed to nick its arm, but it still darted into the classroom. Percy grit his teeth.

What was he supposed to do now? If he charged in there like a maniac, they'd call the cops. If he did nothing, that monster could kill them all. Percy made a split second decision. He grabbed a clear glass jar from the teacher's supply room next door, dumping all the pencils out of it, and grabbed a piece of paper. Then he opened the door and walked in the room.

Immediately, 19 sets of eyes swiveled and locked onto him. One gaze, however, remained locked on something by the wall.

"Um, hi." Percy started lamely. He held up the jar and paper.

"I'm volunteering today, and that bug has been flying around all day. Mr…erm, Smith, asked me to catch it." He fibbed, hoping the teacher bought the lie.

"Oh, go right ahead. Yes, it is rather big isn't it? What is it, some kind of dragonfly?" she agreed. A little girl with blonde ringlets and piercing blue eyes raised her hand.

"Yes, Emily?" the teacher asked. Emily shook her head.

"It's not a dragonfly. It's a fairy," she said matter-of-factly. Percy zeroed in on the little girl. _She must be a demigod_ , he thought to himself. Then he looked to where she was pointing.

The teacher chuckled.

"Oh, Emily, dear, that's very imaginative, but it's just a bug," she told her smiling.

There, hovering by the wall, was the office lady, now equipped with wings. Percy watched her before reluctantly taking out Riptide, uncapping it and causing it to elongate into its sword form.

"That's a really big flyswatter!" one little boy called out, and Percy sighed in relief. His relief, however, didn't last long.

The Kobaloi sneered at Percy before beginning to transform. The children began to shriek in alarm.

"What _is_ that?" the teacher gasped, gathering the students near her on the far side of the wall.

Only Emily remained where she was, apparently stunned by what she was seeing. Percy dropped the jar and paper on a nearby desk, having forgotten he was still holding them.

The Kobaloi had now returned to its human form, but retained its green tinted skin and glowing eyes. Her teeth were sharp, which became apparent when she smiled, and her hair floated about her face as if she was underwater. The result was quite startling. Percy stared at her, dumbfounded.

"What's the matter, Perseus? You didn't think we only had two forms, did you?" she cackled wickedly.

"Don't worry, I'll get it!" Percy said loudly, recovering his wits and trying to keep his cover.

Thankfully, the classrooms next door were empty. Percy suspected the students that usually occupied them were in the gym or the library or some other class on the main level, which was good. He really didn't need people running in at the wrong moment and thinking he was a gunman or something.

Just as he had that thought, the Kobaloi smirked, and an automatic gun appeared in her hands.

Percy had never been familiar with guns, as monsters never used modern technology, but this one looked dangerous. He raised his sword, but the Kobaloi pointed the gun at Emily, and Percy knew he had to do something. He launched himself across the room, throwing himself in front of Emily.

The Kobaloi, now furious, fired round after round at him, but the bullets all deflected as he threw up a defensive shield. It was similar to the magic he had used in Ally's charm, and though he wasn't sure whether it came from Chaos, one of the gods' blessings, or being a Guardian, he was thankful regardless.

The kids shrieked and dived behind desks and bookcases, and Percy quickly extended his shield to cover them as well, grunting from the effort. Before Percy could stop her, the teacher darted to the phone on the desk and dialed 911. Percy continued to distract the monster, acting slightly reckless in his attempts to dispatch the monster and get out, fast.

"Hello? Please help, my name is Victoria Soto, and there's someone with a gun in my classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary School. 749 Birch Street. Please come quickly, she-" A stray bullet flew by Percy's head, severing the phone cord.

The teacher looked at the severed cord in shock, before shrieking and covering the few kids that were still standing.

When the monster turned back to Percy, he edged around it, causing it to turn it's back on the mortals. Percy noticed the teacher hiding the kids in a closet over the monsters shoulder, and kept swiping at it to cause a diversion.

 _I have to stop it before someone gets hurt!_ Percy thought desperately. Emily was still out in the open, frozen in place. Thankfully, his shield seemed to have protected her as well. Percy looked around frantically, determined to end the monster before someone got hurt.

Desperate, he threw Riptide with all his might, and the Kobaloi's eyes widened. Too late, it attempted to dart to the side, before it was impaled by the sword and dissolved into yellow dust.

Percy stood for a moment, blinking. He was shocked that had worked – he'd tried it once or twice on bigger monsters, and it had worked mainly because they never expected him to actually let go of his sword. Huh. Maybe he should use that trick more often.

Before picking up his sword and brushing himself off, Percy threw the jar he had set down at the window, shattering both. The teacher turned around at the sudden noise, her eyes widening.

"Quick! She's escaping!" Percy said exaggeratedly. The teacher looked horrified; she was shaking like a leaf. Percy moved towards the window, but was halted by her shriek.

"No! W-what are you thinking? You can't go after her, she's a mad woman! The p-police are on their way, they can catch her," she reminded him, and Percy's expression morphed into one of panic.

The teacher suddenly seemed to realize something.

"The other students and teachers! How did she get in? I have to warn them, make sure they are alright!" she worried. Percy's eyes widened.

"Please don't worry, ma'am. I'll go. You need to take care of your kids." He placated her.

She nodded and turned back to the closet, opening it and ushering the screaming, crying children out. Using the noise as a distraction, Percy walked briskly over to Emily, kneeling down in front of her.

"You saw what she really looked like, didn't you?" he asked her.

She nodded seriously, but her eyes showed that she was scared. Percy's features softened, and he offered her his hand.

"I can tell you what she was, but you have to trust me, okay? If you come with me, I'll explain everything," he told her, and after a moment of hesitation, she placed her hand in his delicately.

"Do you have any parents around? Do I need to call someone?" he asked. The little girl shook her head no, causing her curly blonde hair to bounce up and down.

"Okay then. Come on," he said.

He pulled her to the door, the teacher oblivious as she comforted the panicking kids. He raced back down the hallway and up the stairs, towards the front entrance. He skidded to a stop when he saw a police car pulling into the parking lot. Thalia ran up to him.

"Percy! The cops are here! We got the rest, everyone's waiting for you outsi-" she stopped herself, noticing Emily, who was clinging to Percy's hand and looking up at Thalia with a scared expression.

"Who's this?" she asked, in a slightly gentler tone.

"Emily. She saw through the Mist, saw the Kobaloi. One of them ran down to the first grade classroom. I took care of it, but we have to go. Take her with you; she said she doesn't have any parents. Take her to Artemis, but make sure to go out the back. I'll distract the cops, then follow you." He said, handing over Emily.

Thalia started to protest, but Percy scowled.

"We don't have time, Thalia! We're about to have company. Now take her and go!" he said urgently, already moving towards the front doors.

Thalia looked pained, but grabbed Emily's hand and ran around the corner, back the way Artemis had gone.

Percy looked around quickly for a distraction. Deciding to be efficient, he used the butt of Riptide to break the glass panes in the front doors, setting off the school alarm and making the front doors tricky to open with all the broken pieces of glass. The police cars were just pulling into the parking lot when Percy turned and ran.

He sprinted after Thalia and Emily, and after a minute or two he came to the back door. He could hear the police at the front entrance now, trying to unlock it unsuccessfully. He reached out his hands, planning on bashing into the push-bar door handle and sprinting out of there as fast as he could.

But it didn't happen like that.

Instead, the door remained solidly in place, and Percy ran straight into it, almost breaking his wrists and smacking his forehead on the window instead. He rubbed his wrists as he looked at the door in confusion. What was wrong with it? He tried opening it again, but it wouldn't budge. That's when he saw it.

Glue. Specifically, demigod glue, also known as Hermes' Express Sticky Glue ("For Every Pranking Occasion"). It was hard to spot, but easy to recognize, as it blended in with the surface it was put on, but glowed when touched with celestial bronze, as it did now when it came into contact with Riptide's blade. Percy recognized it from many of what the Stolls considered their finest pranks.

He cursed. He'd have a hard time breaking through the glue without proper demigod tools. He wished Leo were here. Growing desperate as the police moved closer, Percy hit Riptide against the glass, causing it to shatter. As he jumped out the window, cutting his hands on the glass and sprinting away, he shoved Riptide (now in pen form) back into his pocket, the shouts of the police officers left behind carried off by the wind.

****LINE BREAK****

Percy jogged into the clearing where the Hunt was set up, looking over his shoulder to check that no one was following him. When he turned to greet the Hunters, he came face to face with what seemed like a legion of silver arrows.

"Whoa! Just me! Hold your fire!" he yelped, dodging to the side to avoid a stray arrow. The Hunters lowered their weapons immediately, while Phoebe pretended to look sheepish about her empty bow.

Percy brushed himself off and glared at Phoebe. He quickly refocused, however, when he noticed Emily standing behind Thalia. Ally and the others stood around her reassuringly, but she was still very clearly nervous. Percy walked up to her and kneeled down.

"Hey there, Emily. You okay?" he asked her softly. She nodded.

"My name's Percy, and I'm a demigod. That means that one of my parents is– _was_ normal, and one of them is a god. My father is lord of the sea, and his name is Poseidon. Do you understand?" he asked her. She nodded slowly.

"I think you're a demigod too. Do you have any parents?" he asked her. She shook her head yes.

"My daddy. He has to go to work though, so the nice lady next door takes me to school. I take the bus home. Daddy doesn't get home until dinner," she said quietly.

"Okay. When I asked you before, you said your parents weren't around, do you remember? Can you tell me where your dad is now?" Percy asked softly. Emily's eyes watered.

"I don't know. He didn't come home for two nights ago. He went to work but never came back," she sniffled, tears running down her face.

The other Hunters looked on sympathetically, and Ally and the others patted her shoulders comfortingly.

"Did your dad say anything before he left? Anything strange?" Percy questioned. Emily seemed to think hard.

"No," she shook her head. "He said he loved me, and he was getting a promo… a prema…" she struggled to find the words.

"Promotion?" Percy suggested gently. Her eyes lit up and she nodded.

"That! A pro-mo-shun. He said he would get me a new toy on the way home. But he never came back. Do you know where he is?" she asked, looking up at Percy with hopeful eyes. Percy looked back sadly.

"I don't, Emily. I'm sorry. But I'll do my best to find him. Don't you worry. But Emily? Have you ever seen anything like that monster before? Anything strange?" he asked. She nodded earnestly.

"My kin-der-gar-den buddy last year had furry legs. And hooves. His foot fell off in class and I helped him put it back on before anyone noticed. But he was nice. And once a lady followed me on the bus, but the driver made her get off. I watched her, and she had glowing eyes and scary snakes for legs.

"And once, when Daddy wasn't home, a nice lady came. She smelled good, like the beach. I love the beach. She was very nice, and played with me. She was sad. She said she had to go, and couldn't come play with me any more. But she said she loved me, just like my Daddy. She said her name was G-G-Gal-ee-nee. She was pretty." She revealed, growing a little less shy as she became more comfortable with the group.

"Galeenee? Who's that?" Percy asked, confused. Artemis looked surprised.

"Galene. The goddess of calm seas…I thought she had faded long ago. Emily must be her last child, so she collected her essence enough to visit her before she truly faded. The council confirmed her essence completely gone just a few years ago." Artemis supplied, looking surprised.

Emily looked up at her curiously.

"That nice lady was my mommy?" she asked. Percy smiled at her.

"Yes. Is that okay?" Percy asked her. Emily beamed.

"Yeah! She was the nicest lady I've ever met," she said enthusiastically. Percy smiled.

"Hey! My dad is Poseidon, god of the oceans. So that kind of makes us related, in a sense, doesn't it?" Percy asked. Emily seemed to think about it.

"I guess so…" she said hesitantly. "I've never had a family before. Just Daddy and me."

"Well Emily…how would you like to join a new family? At least, for a little while, until we find your dad?" Percy asked. Emily tilted her head to the side, curious.

"What kind of family?" she asked sweetly. Percy opened his arms, gesturing to the girls in the clearing.

"This family," he told her. Emily looked around, seemingly taking in all the smiling faces of the girls, and noticing the power radiating from them. She seemed unsure, so Percy decided to help her out.

"Maybe we should introduce you, hm?" he asked, and Emily looked at him curiously. Percy smiled.

"Well first, there's Lady Artemis," he said, pointing. "She is the leader of the Hunt, which is what we call our family, and protects all of us during quests, when we protect other people from monsters, like the one in your school."

"So, like the Mommy?" Emily asked, and Percy tried and failed to hide his grin.

"I suppose so, in a way," he answered, before continuing. "That's Thalia, her Lieutenant. She's like the oldest sister, and helps Lady Artemis make sure we all behave. I know she looks scary, but she's nice, don't worry."

"Hey! I'm not scary," Thalia protested, and Emily giggled. Thalia winked at her playfully.

"That's Phoebe – she's next oldest, and our best tracker. Then there's Arietta and Arianna – we call them Ari and Anna, so you can tell them apart – Skylar, those three are Kate, Kiara, and Kaelyn, then we have Anya and Jenna – she's really good at magic – then Lydia, Hadley, and the little girls – Luna, Alexis, Cali, and Ally." Percy rattled off, pointing to each of the girls.

"Hey! We're not little!" Cali argued, and Percy ruffled her hair and laughed.

"Sure you are, squirts," he teased, and they fake pouted until Percy reached over and tickled them, causing them to fall over each other laughing.

Emily watched them, smiling shyly, before turning back to Percy.

"What about you?" she asked, and Percy blinked, surprised, before breaking into a smile.

"I'm Percy, silly," he teased, and she giggled.

"No, what do you do?" she insisted, and he winked.

"I'm the Guardian," he told her. "It's my job to protect everyone, even Lady Artemis, and take care of them even if they don't need my help."

Emily brightened.

"Like the Daddy!" she exclaimed, and Percy flushed.

"No! No, more like the big brother," he hurriedly corrected, not looking at Artemis or the other girls. Emily puckered her lips and nodded.

"So what do you think? Would you like to join us, Emily?" Thalia asked.

Emily looked around, biting her lip, and nodded slowly, her smile growing. Percy beamed back at her, and Artemis stepped forward.

"Emily, there's one condition to joining this family," she said seriously. Emily's smile slowly faded into a worried expression.

"What is it? I can draw you a picture if you want, but I'm not very good at it. And I don't have any money in my piggy bank…but you can have my teddy bear if you want. He's in my room at home," she said, looking concerned. The Hunters all chuckled.

"No, no, nothing like that. To join us, you have to swear not to fall in love with any boys." Thalia explained, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. Emily brightened considerably.

"Oh! That's easy! Boys have cooties!" she told them seriously, then looked stricken and turned to Percy, eyes wide. He held back a laugh and raised his hands.

"Cootie free, I promise," he told her, and she relaxed and smiled back. Thalia smirked, deciding that she liked this girl already.

"Okay then Emily, repeat after me. 'I promise to loyally follow the goddess Artemis. I promise to forfeit the company of men and be a loyal sister until I am old enough to officially join the Hunt.'" Thalia instructed her.

"'I promise to l-loy-al-ly follow the goddess Art-e-mis. I promise to…"

"Forfeit," Thalia prompted.

"For-feit the comp'ny of men and be a lo-y-al sister 'til I am old enough to join the Hunt.'" Emily repeated. Thalia looked to Artemis, who smiled.

"Close enough," she granted, and a silver glow surrounded Emily.

When it subsided, Emily's hair looked shinier and blonder. Her eyes seemed brighter, their icy blue color becoming more pronounced. She seemed to glow like the other hunters, looking youthful and energetic, even more so then she had before.

"Emily, you are now a probational member of the Hunt," Artemis explained. Emily tilted her head to the side.

"Pro-bay-shunal?" she asked, and Artemis smiled.

"It means you are a part of the family, but are not bound to me forever. While you are with us, it is as if you are a member of the Hunt, but because you may change your mind and leave if you so choose, you are not immortal as the other Huntresses are. When you are old enough, if you decide to truly join my Hunt, you will take a more permanent oath and earn your immortality, but for now, the promise you just made is enough."

Emily nodded, having understood most of what Artemis said, and Percy whooped.

"Alright then! Who's up for a celebratory dinner?" he asked, breaking the silence.

The Hunters cheered, moving towards the picnic table. Ally tagged Emily and raced her to the table.

Percy chased after them, swooping them up in his arms and depositing them gently onto the picnic benches, the two of them giggling madly. Percy smiled at them, helping the other little girls up onto the benches, when he spotted something on the ground and froze.

There, on the ground under Phoebe's seat, was a small, plastic bottle.

A bottle of Hermes' Express Sticky Glue.

And the bottle was half empty.

 **A/N: Okay everyone, that's the chapter! Thanks so much for reading! This chapter was written to honor the victims of Sandy Hook, and not to make fun of or in any way debase or disgrace the event itself or the people involved. If this offended anyone, it was not at all my intention and I am dearly sorry.**

 **Again, thanks so much for reading! I appreciate it! Don't forget to review! Until next time!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Percy stared at the bottle, not quite comprehending what he was seeing. He slowly bent down and picked it up, just to prove to himself that it was really there.

He closed his eyes, swallowing his hurt. After everything he'd done for them, after trying so hard to earn their trust…He crushed the bottle in his fist suddenly, anger overwhelming him.

"Percy? Are you okay?" Ally asked, concerned.

She had turned around to tell him something, but had quickly noticed that something was wrong. All the little girls looked up at him questioningly, and soon, the whole table was looking at him. Most of them looked concerned, but some…didn't.

"What is this?" Percy asked Phoebe, who turned to face him slowly. His voice shook with anger. Phoebe feigned innocence.

"What do you mean? That's just glue, you know, for _sticky_ situations," she smirked. Percy clenched his jaw.

"You glued the door shut? You…I could have...do you realize how much you jeopardized? What if the mission had gone wrong, and the mortals needed to escape? What if Thalia and Emily had tried to use that door? Someone could have been hurt- We could have been in a lot of trouble! I could have been caught and labeled a terrorist! Any of us could have gotten caught – do you realize how serious this is?" he spat.

Phoebe's smirk vanished under his glare. Artemis looked between Phoebe and Percy, her brow furrowed.

"Percy, what are you talking about?" she asked in a commanding tone.

"This," Percy held up the glue for her to see.

"After I had Thalia take Emily to safety, I caused a diversion before running after them, to make sure the police wouldn't see them. Thankfully, they must've gone out a different way then I did, because when I reached the back door, it was stuck shut with this glue. I was forced to smash the glass, and by that time the police almost caught me. I ran off before they could, but they could very well accuse me of being the crazed gunman, if they got a good enough look at me," he said venomously.

Artemis turned to Phoebe.

"Is this true? Did you glue the door shut?" she asked, her voice infused with steel.

Phoebe nodded, unabashed, though she couldn't quite meet her mistress's eyes. Instead, she glared back at Percy defiantly.

"Whatever you may think, however you may have weaseled your way in here, we aren't your family. You are a pathetic, worthless male, and you have no right to be here! You invaded our Hunt, all because you couldn't take it that a woman finally stood up for herself and dumped you. Your ego couldn't handle it, could it? You couldn't bear to face your friends, so you came crawling to the gods, sniveling like a little brat. And of course, the gods had to spare their poor 'hero', so we got stuck with you." Phoebe snarled.

Artemis's eyes flashed.

"Phoebe, that is enough-" she began, but Percy held up a hand, looking Phoebe right in the eyes.

"Look here, Phoebe. I have every right to be here, just as you do. You think I joined the Hunt because of my ego? You couldn't be more wrong. My parents are dead, and my girlfriend dumped me. You weren't satisfied with that explanation? Fine. Here's the full story."

"I'd had a crush on Annabeth since I was twelve years old. I couldn't find the courage to ask her out until we were fifteen, because I thought she had feelings for someone else. Last year, I decided I wanted to marry her. But it took a lot of planning to make that happen. I asked Hephaestus himself to help me craft the perfect ring, and I'd been waiting to propose for a while. I had to wait to propose because Athena wanted me to prove my worth to her, and so I would often disappear without warning, for days or weeks at a time, to complete tests and quests for Athena to prove I was worthy of Annabeth.

"I was forbidden to tell Annabeth about why I kept disappearing, and she grew increasingly frustrated. I told her what I could, but I could only say so much, so I hoped she understood and that it would be worth it in the end. In between Athena's tests and my time at camp, I also traveled to Camp Jupiter, specifically to New Rome. There, I built Annabeth and I a house near the college, because I knew she would want to go.

"I wasn't sure if she wanted to live in New Rome, or if she would want to attend college in the mortal world, so I built our house, then applied to every mortal college I knew Annabeth was, just to be sure. I got into most of them, even Harvard, although Chiron and Athena had to help me with most of them.

"Then, the day finally arrived. It was also our three year anniversary, the day we had gone on our first official date, and it was going to be the day she became my wife. When I saw her at the beach, she seemed to be really upset over something. I asked what was wrong, and she told me she wanted to go to college. I started to tell her what I had planned, about the house, the proposal, everything, but she cut me off." Percy explained bitterly.

"She wanted to go to Harvard. I was going to tell her we could do that, that I got accepted too, but she beat me to it. She said she was leaving, that day, without me. That we should break up." Percy rasped, pain evident in his eyes.

"She dumped me. On the night I was going to propose. She dumped me for a stupid school, after all we've been through together. I turned down godhood for her, survived Tartarus with her, and she still didn't believe that I'd do anything for her. Go anywhere, be whatever I had to be, for her. She broke my heart." Percy's eyes were sad, and many of the Hunters were looking at him with sympathy.

Thalia was sitting, mouth agape, her fists clenched.

"So I headed back to my cabin, and left camp. I went to see my mom, because she is – was – the only one who could comfort me. But I was too late. Their room was torn apart, a chair thrown out the window and blood on the broken glass. I went down to the alley to IM Chiron for help, and found her and my stepdad, Paul, dead. Killed by some monster. I took them to Montauk, where my mom and dad first met, and buried them at sea.

"After that, I felt had nothing left. Without Annabeth, I didn't know what to do with my life. College was what she wanted, but all I had wanted was to be with her. Now my parents were gone, and I couldn't take it anymore. So I went to the gods to die. I wanted them to kill me, so I could join my parents and my friends in the Underworld.

"So I could see them again, and apologize – to Luke, Bianca, Zoe, Beckendorf, Silena, to all the campers and all the people that died for me or because of me – but they refused. They sent me here instead, to give me a purpose. To give me a family. And I thought…I had hoped that I had found it," Percy threw the bottle to the ground, which had begun to shake under his feet.

"But obviously you don't understand. You're so wrapped up in your hatred that you couldn't see how hard I was trying. I tried everything to show you I was different, but if you don't want to see it, how could I? I can take the petty pranks. I can take mean comments, or jabs, or whatever, but putting mortals – and even worse, your _sisters_ – in danger to get at me? All because I'm a man? There I draw the line.

"You've made it quite clear that you don't want me around. So, fine – have it your way. I'll be going. You won't have to see me again, won't have to waste your time trying to make my life miserable. Hopefully, your sisters will be safer because of it," he spat, and Phoebe flinched.

"You know, I thought I'd found a chance at a fresh start, with what I was hoping would one day be my new family. But I guess I thought wrong. You got your wish – have a nice life," Percy finished, striding away from the table.

"Percy, wait!" Ally cried, too late, stumbling to her feet and attempting to close the distance between them.

"I'm sorry, Ally-Cat," he said softly, his eyes sorrowful, before throwing one last withering look at Phoebe, unfurling his wings, and taking off.

The Hunters watched him fly off, stunned, until he was out of sight. As soon as he was out of sight, the girls turned towards Phoebe.

"I-I…" she tried, but she couldn't find words to express how sorry she was. She had been mistaken. Very mistaken.

"How could you? He's our brother! We love him, and he loves us, and you drove him away! We'll never see him again…and it's all your fault!" Ally sobbed, tears streaming down her face.

"I hate you, I hate you and I'll never forgive you!" she cried, before turning and sprinting to the girls' tent.

"You let your hatred of men ruin our family. Couldn't you see that Percy was happy here? That he made us happy? You ruined everything! What did he ever do to you anyway?" Alexis accused, her voice tight with anger as she swiped under her eyes with the back of her hand.

Cali merely glared at Phoebe, before bursting into tears and running after Ally. Alexis, Luna, and Emily followed, each of them in various stages of distress as well. Thalia marched up to Phoebe.

"You may have just ruined the best thing that has happened to this hunt since Zoe died. I hope you realize what you've done," she said coldly, sparks practically jumping off of her, before striding towards the tent to comfort the younger girls.

"I – no, guys wait! I didn't mean-" Phoebe pleaded as the girls drifted away, some giving her disgusted glares, others pensive. Soon Phoebe was the only one left in the clearing, save Artemis. Phoebe couldn't bear to meet her eyes.

"I do not mean to antagonize you further, but you must know that this is one of the reasons why I did not consider you for the position of my Lieutenant, despite your seniority among the Hunters and your dedicated loyalty to me. You must learn to let go of past grudges, and to be more open and trusting of others.

"Perseus was not the betrayer here. You have made a colossal mistake, and though Perseus will be back, it will be difficult to earn his trust again. Be warned. You do not want him as an enemy." Artemis advised her gravely.

Phoebe nodded at the ground, and Artemis looked at her once more before sighing.

"I am not going to expel you from the hunt, Phoebe. We are a family, though a dysfunctional one. It will be up to you to fix your mistake. However, as punishment for jeopardizing the mission and your fellow Huntresses, it is now your duty to do Perseus's chores," Artemis informed her.

Phoebe nodded again, and Artemis watched her a moment more before crossing the clearing and entering her tent. A moment later, a silver glow radiated from the tent, then dimmed, and Artemis's silhouette was gone.

 **A/N: Yeesh. That was intense. Thanks for reading, and I really hope you liked it! Please don't forget to review – your feedback inspires me to write faster and update sooner! Until next time!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Percy was deep in the woods, pacing back and forth and muttering angrily to himself, when Artemis appeared.

"Perseus," she stated, her lips pursed. Percy nodded at her without breaking stride.

"Sorry, My Lady, but you couldn't expect me to stay there. I have endured enough of their mistrust and prejudice, and if I didn't leave, their next prank could have gotten someone hurt. I swore an oath to protect you all, one I intend to uphold, but from now on I remain out of sight. I'll be invisible. No one will see or hear me, and it will be as if I don't exist. I won't abandon you or the Hunters, though the behavior of some of the girls makes the idea tempting, but I'm done trying to play nice," he told her.

Artemis crossed her arms.

"You will do no such thing," she said, following his movement with her ancient eyes.

"You can't seriously expect me to-" Percy began, but Artemis held up her hand.

"You will do no such thing, but not because of my orders. I know you, Perseus. I know that you will not be able to cause my Hunters pain – especially the younger girls – which is exactly what you will be doing by leaving. You may be able to hold up for a while, I do not doubt your resolve, but you are too loyal. You will return, and though your trust will be hard to earn for some, you will rejoin this family once again," she predicted.

Percy opened his mouth to argue, paused, and closed it, seeming to reconsider.

"I suppose you're right," he conceded. Artemis nodded, pleased.

"I am glad to see you have come to your senses. Now, on to other matters. I must report to my father tomorrow, which I will do in the morning while the girls train. You will prepare meals for them, though I will not require you to interact with them as of yet. Also, a few weeks back Thalia suggested a trip into the mortal world, as the girls have been eager for a break from the constant hunting and are sorely in need of a taste of modernization, and I agreed. I would like you to accompany us for the trip, which will be in a week or so, once I receive Father's approval," she instructed.

Percy saluted her.

"As you wish, My Lady. If I may, when will you be returning?" he inquired. Artemis looked him up and down before replying.

"I should return by late evening. If I am delayed, I will send a message. I will expect a full report upon my return," she decided.

Percy nodded and saluted her, clapping a fist across his chest and inclining his head.

"I will see you tomorrow then, Perseus," she finished, turning to leave the clearing.

"Er, Artemis," he called after her.

She paused, looking back over her shoulder.

"I-I just…Thanks," he said, scratching the back of his head.

Artemis allowed herself a small smile, nodding slightly, before stalking into the woods and disappearing with a silver flash.

****LINE BREAK****

The next morning, the girls gathered around the table sluggishly. Most of them had bags under their eyes, and younger girls' eyes were all rimmed with red.

The Hunters all sat slumped over their plates, and barely anyone was talking. Artemis cast her eyes over the girls as she emerged from her tent, assessing the general mood instantly.

She took her seat at the head of the table, noticing the empty seat at the other end and ignoring it, though it affected her more then she cared to admit. Who would have thought she would have grown so used to Perseus over the course of only a week? As it was, she sensed him nearby, perched in a tree.

She concentrated on his energy, trying to sense what he was up to, then jumped when a voice popped into her mind.

 _ **Ready for breakfast, my Lady?**_ The voice that unmistakably belonged to Perseus asked.

Artemis attempted to mask her surprise, thankful that the girls were too absorbed in their own thoughts to notice her reaction.

 _Er, yes, thank you, Perseus_. She replied, and instantly, a buffet of food appeared on the table.

The girls looked surprised. A few perked up and looked around, expecting to see Percy, but slumped once again when they couldn't find him.

 _Er, Perseus?_ She asked tentatively.

 _ **Yes, Lady Artemis?**_

 _How, exactly, are you communicating with me? In this manner, I mean._

 _ **Well, uh, I'm not exactly sure. Ever since I became Guardian, I've been able to sense you. I was bored this morning, and tried experimenting a little. I thought I made a breakthrough once or twice, but wasn't sure. You didn't happen to have any, er, weird thoughts or…cravings this morning, did you?**_ He asked, sounding mildly embarrassed.

Artemis blushed, thinking of how Perseus's face had floated through her dreams that morning, along with a strange craving for pancakes, which she had consequently charmed her usual ambrosia to taste like.

To her confusion, however, she had found that the charmed food had still been unsatisfactory, until she spotted a bottle of blue food coloring on the table before her. Curious, and a bit reluctantly, she had added some to her meal, finding that it made all the difference. She now realized it must have been Perseus's influence, and quickly returned her meal to its normal state before anyone could notice.

 _I can't say that I have. However, your attempts seem to have proven successful._ She commented coolly.

She could almost feel Perseus's shrug from somewhere behind her and to her right.

 _ **I suppose you're right. Anyways, I've been doing regular surveillance trips every hour or so, and an extended flight around the area every five hours. Our surroundings seem to be clear, so the girls should be safe while you report to Zeus. If any trouble comes up, I'll mind-speak to you.**_ He informed her.

She nodded, before remembering he wasn't in front of her.

 _That sounds fine, Perseus. The wolf pack should arrive sometime this afternoon. I would like you to see that they give full reports of the trip, and make sure the girls give them proper care upon their return. I shall be back around nightfall._

 _ **Of course, My Lady.**_ He agreed, beginning to recede from her mind.

 _ **Oh, and Lady Artemis?**_ He asked, his voice full of amusement.

 _Yes, Perseus?_

 _ **You can call me Percy.**_

She blushed slightly, but before she could reply, he was gone.

"Are you all right, My Lady?" Thalia asked from the seat next to her. She seemed to be handling Percy's disappearance the best of the girls, Artemis noted.

"Yes, yes of course. Thank you, Thalia. How are you holding up?" she inquired. Thalia shrugged.

"I'm still furious with Phoebe for how she treated Percy. And I'm a little mad at him for flaking out on us. But he'll be back – the little girls have got him wrapped around their tiny fingers, and I know Percy. He's too loyal to just leave us – this is his family now, regardless of what he said last night, and to Percy, family is everything," she stated, her eyes determined.

Artemis smiled internally, amused. Thalia and Percy may have their differences, but they truly cared about each other, and knew each other well.

"Well, that's good then. I'll need you to train your sisters today while I report to Father. I'll be back by sundown, so don't expect me until then. The wolf pack should arrive this afternoon, so see to it that they are taken care of. Other then that, you are to resume training as usual. Also, have the girls sharpen their arrows after target practice, they were looking a little dull earlier." Artemis instructed. Thalia nodded.

"Of course, My Lady. Don't you worry about a thing – we'll be fine," she assured her.

Artemis nodded before saying her goodbyes to the girls and leaving, teleporting herself to Olympus.

****LINE BREAK****

"Okay, pretty good, but your balance is a little off. Move your weight to the balls of your feet, instead of your heels. That will allow you to shoot your arrow more accurately and run faster afterwards." Thalia advised, adjusting Cali's stance.

She stepped back once she finished.

"And…release."

Cali's arrow left the bow with a harmonic twang. Thalia lifted her chin in triumph a moment before the arrow pierced the target – a bull's eye. Cali smiled briefly.

"Thanks, Thalia," she said, glum despite the achievement. Thalia ruffled her hair.

"No problem, kiddo. And cheer up – you're getting better with every shot," she replied, moving on to Alexis.

Thalia glanced over at Ally, who was staring past the target in front of her, plucking at her bow dejectedly. Thalia sighed, wishing there was a way to cheer her up, but continued on with the archery lesson.

"How's it going, Lexi?" she asked.

"Good, I guess…I think I've finally got it – the angle and the trajectory were off because my focal point radius was 2, instead of 2.54. I also forgot to calculate the wind factor – rookie mistake – but now that I included it I think it's the perfect-"

"Lexi- Lexi! That's all great, but why don't you try actually shooting at the target?" Thalia suggested gently.

Alexis huffed, annoyed at being cut off, but hefted the bow, aiming it and releasing the arrow, which imbedded itself into the target with a solid _thunk_.

"Bull's eye," Lexi said, lacking her usual excitement. She pulled at the string repeatedly, growing thoughtful.

"Though if I alter the speed of the arrow and include the proportional accuracy ratings maybe I could…" she drifted off.

"All right then, Brain Child. Whatever you say," Thalia backed off, moving on to Emily.

"Er, Em, you've got the bow upside down…Here, let me help," Thalia said, quickly kneeling down and re-orienting the bow in Emily's hands.

She helped her string the arrow, adjusting her stance, elbow position, and how she was looking down the shaft of the arrow. When she finally had her in the position she wanted, Thalia stepped back.

"Okay, now release the arrow as you breathe out. Relax, and it will fly where you want it to," she instructed.

Emily took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then released both the breath and the arrow. It flew through the air and hit the edge of the target, and Emily smiled.

"I hit it! I really hit it!" she cheered, and Thalia clapped her on the shoulder.

"You sure did, Squirt. Keep up the good work."

Thalia went to help Luna, then moved on to critique the older girls, who were running an obstacle course Thalia had set up among the trees, making minor adjustments and mainly giving them tips on how to increase their speed and accuracy when in motion. It wasn't until they had moved on to hand on hand practice that Ally lost it.

"Okay guys, today we're going to brush up on your hand to hand combat skills. We were going to do sword training, but under the current circumstances…Anyway, get into groups by size, and I'll come around to give you the exercises," Thalia instructed the girls.

"But Thalia! Percy was supposed to train us today! He's supposed to be here to help us – he promised!" Ally sniffed.

Thalia kneeled down in front of her.

"Look, Al, I know you miss him, but Percy may not be back for a while. Percy loves you, and he'd never abandon you, but, well, loyalty is a big deal for Percy. It's his fatal flaw, and so he takes betrayal really personally. It'll be a little bit before he comes back, but I promise you that he will. We're his family now, and he knows that," she explained.

In the back of the group, Phoebe shuffled her feet while Ally nodded tearfully.

"Okay," she whispered, "I just…I've never had a brother before, and Percy _promised_. And I really miss him."

"I know, kiddo, we all do. But I know he misses you twice as much, and that it's really hard for him to stay away from you." Thalia said, squirming uncomfortably at the mushy conversation.

"Percy wouldn't want you to be sad. He can take care of himself," she assured the young Hunter. "So cheer up, okay?"

Ally nodded.

"I guess you're right…but I'm going to sit this one out," she said, trudging off to sit under a tree at the edge of the clearing.

Thalia shook her head and went back to the lesson. She had done all she could.

Ally sat under the tree to watch her sisters practice. She propped her head in her hands, letting her thoughts wander. She was so caught up in her daydreams that she almost missed the glossy black feather that floated right past her face. Jumping in surprise, Ally reached out and grabbed the feather, examining it.

The feather was longer then most birds' and had undertones of blue and green. When she held it up to look at it more closely, the light caught hidden particles in the feathers and made it sparkle. It was beautiful. She looked up into the tree, seeing nothing but smiling anyway, having no doubt as to where the feather had come from.

It wasn't much, but it was enough for her. Percy was here, and he wasn't going to abandon her.

Suddenly, the both the feather and her bracelet began to glow with a silver light, and Ally gasped in surprise. She held her wrist up in wonder and as the two pieces connected, there was a small flash, and the feather became a new charm welded to her bracelet.

 _ **So you will always have a part of me with you.**_ She heard Percy's voice say, though she couldn't tell where it came from. She looked up into the tree and beamed.

"Thank you, big brother," she said, clutching her bracelet and holding it to her chest.

She stood up slowly and walked towards her sisters, who had finished their combat practice and were collecting their discarded arrows. Grabbing her own bow and arrows, Ally ran to join them, a smile still on her face.

****LINE BREAK****

Kiara paused, her grinding stone coming to a halt, decreasing the noise level only slightly. The clearing was filled with noise as the Hunters sharpened the hundreds of arrows from their inventory, chatting and laughing as they worked. She cocked her head to the side, listening.

"What is it, K?" Hadley asked, tossing another newly sharpened arrow onto the growing pile beside her.

Kiara shook her head and held up a finger, and Hadley let her stone stop spinning as well.

"I think…" Kiara started, "something's coming."

"Slackers!" Lydia called teasingly from a few feet over, noticing their halted progress.

Hadley shook her head and brought her finger to her lips, motioning for quiet. A couple of the girls stopped their grinding stones, attributing to the growing quiet.

"Shh, Kiara heard something," Lydia hissed to Kaelyn, Skylar, and Kate, who were giggling hysterically a few feet away.

They quickly passed the message on to Thalia, Arianna, Jenna, and Arietta, who paused mid-conversation and waved the little girls over.

"What's the matter, Anna?" Cali called, pouting as Lexi took her distraction as an opportunity to tag her.

"Kiara heard something," Arianna replied, and the younger girls ran over immediately, reaching for their bows.

"What does that mean?" Emily asked quietly. Phoebe drifted to the edge of the group, having overheard the commotion.

"It means something's coming. Kiara has excellent hearing," Arietta explained.

"Can she tell what it is?" Kate asked in a hushed tone.

Ari looked to Kiara for confirmation. Kiara began to shrug, but paused and cocked her head, her face tightening in concentration.

"Whatever it is, it's big. Light on it's feet, which it has lots of…" she replied thoughtfully.

Then her face brightened, and she let out a laugh.

"It's the pack!" she exclaimed, and the girls all sighed in relief, laughing at themselves when they realized they'd been holding their breath in the first place.

A few whooped, jumping up and running a few paces towards the edge of the clearing.

"What are you all waiting for? Let's go meet them!" Kate called, running ahead.

"Race you! Last one there gets bath duty!" Anya dared, taking off.

"No fair, Miss Tree Nymph!" Lydia called after her.

Anya's laugh carried back to them through the trees as the girls all raced off into the forest, no one wanting to be left behind.

Soon the girls could hear the excited barking of the wolves, and redoubled their efforts. Emily began lagging behind, but Arietta grabbed her and hoisted her up onto her back.

Passing the group, Arietta raced ahead, dodging branches and tree roots, Emily laughing gaily on her back. Soon the two came upon the pack, racing towards them at full speed. Arietta skidded to a halt, bending to allow Emily to slide to the ground.

Laughing, Emily ran towards the pack with her arms wide.

"Puppies!" she cried happily. Arietta laughed.

"Nope. Wolves!" she corrected, opening her arms and kneeling down.

A dark brown wolf with a slight gold tinge to his fur raced to her, licking her face and barking excitedly.

"Hey, Wilcox! Hey boy! Who's a good boy, who's a good boy!" she cooed, scratching behind his ears and laughing as his cold nose bumped her hands and face.

Soon other reunions could be heard as the girls arrived, a mixture of laughter and barking filling the clearing.

Phoebe and her white and black wolf, Comrade, stood at the edge of the group, Phoebe stroking Comrade's fur silently as he sat stoically beside her.

Luna was giggling as Galaxy, his dark coat gleaming, bounded around her, his tongue lolling out happily. Despite how large he was, Galaxy was quite young, only a year or two old, and his excitement revealed his age.

Cali was riding Devon, who was medium sized and tawny colored, while Ally and Ky, a tiny white pup, played around them.

Emily finally spotted a little one at the back, sitting a few feet away from two others that seemed to be communicating. He was small, only a bit bigger then Ally's pup Ky, and was a pretty brown color. The other two bigger wolves – a charcoal colored one with blue eyes and a curious black one with bright green eyes – didn't seem to notice him.

Approaching cautiously, Emily edged towards the young wolf, crouching down beside it. The pup, who had been watching the two bigger wolves, suddenly snapped his head towards Emily. Her mouth dropped open slightly as his bright, gold eyes locked on hers.

"Oh," she breathed softly. The wolf cocked his head.

"Hello. My name's Emily, and I want a puppy too. Do you want to be my puppy?" she asked it quietly. The wolf just looked at her.

"Oh, right, you can't understand me…" she said, slumping slightly.

The wolf, seemingly reacting to her disappointment, nosed her hair, which was hanging over her face.

Emily looked up, her surprise quickly turning to delight as the wolf licked her face. She giggled happily, petting its head.

"It looks like you do want to be my friend," she squealed happily.

She scratched behind the pup's ears, smiling broadly. Then she noticed a small silver chain hanging around his neck. Picking it up, she could see something engraved on it.

"Er-er-Erksen?" she read hesitantly.

The wolf barked excitedly and leaped on her, bowling her over onto her back. Emily let out a surprised shriek but dissolved into giggles.

A loud bark caused the two to freeze, and Erksen leaped off of Emily. The big black wolf, the one with green eyes, was watching the two. Emily watched as Erksen whined, then pawed at the air in front of him twice.

The big wolf made a coughing sound, which could have been a laugh. Then he turned his big eyes towards Emily, looking her up and down as if to check for injuries. Emily smiled.

"You want to be my friend too? This is Erksen. He's nice! What's your name?" she asked it happily.

She walked up to it, looking around its neck for a silver chain. When she didn't find one, she frowned.

"Oh. I don't know your name," she said, disappointed.

The wolf seemed to smile, nuzzling her with its nose. She giggled.

"I know!" she exclaimed excitedly, "Thalia will know your name! Thalia!"

****LINE BREAK****

Percy felt his eyes widen, but didn't dare bolt with Emily's arms still around his neck. Thalia sauntered over with a silver-eyed white wolf.

"What's up, Em?" she asked, ruffling her hair.

"Who's this?" Emily asked, "He doesn't have a nametag like the others."

Thalia frowned. Percy was looking down, trying to hide his eyes. They would be a dead giveaway.

"Hmm…Galaxy's over there, so it's not him…and we don't have any other all black wolves," Thalia said, her eyes narrowing.

An all-black wolf with green eyes? They weren't common, and she had seen Percy transform into a wolf right in front of her eyes. Still, she knew he didn't want to be discovered, and played along.

"Hmm…well, it looks like this guy is new," she finally answered Emily.

Looking at her excited face, Thalia couldn't help but chuckle.

"How about you help me pick out a name for him, hm?" she asked, bending down and petting Erksen, keeping her eyes on Emily. Emily squealed with delight.

"Ooh! Ooh! How about…Blackie?" she asked, her eyes lighting up. Percy let out an indignant huff, and Thalia laughed.

"I don't think he likes that one…try again," she suggested. Emily seemed to think hard.

"I know! Greenie! Like his eyes!" she exclaimed. Percy whimpered, and Thalia had to suppress her laughter as he tried to keep from rolling his eyes.

"Here, let me help you out. When each of us named our wolf, we decided on a name that seemed to fit their personality or heritage. For example, Luna named her wolf Galaxy because she is a descendant of the moon goddess, and because of Galaxy's dark fur. This little guy, Erksen, loves cliffs. He always stops at the edge to howl at the sky. 'Ersken' means 'cliff dweller', so we changed the spelling a little but named him that. Does that help?" she asked. Emily nodded seriously.

She kneeled down in front of Percy, staring into his eyes. He wriggled a bit under her intense gaze.

"Hmm…" she mumbled, a crease forming between her eyes.

"Here, Em, you don't have to decide right now. Why don't you think about it and name him later?" Thalia suggested.

Percy could tell she was beginning to feel nervous, being out in the middle of a large clearing like this one without Artemis's protection. Frankly, so was he. Emily nodded.

"Okay. Thanks Thalia!" she beamed. Thalia smiled and ruffled her hair.

"No problem, kiddo," she said, tugging on a lock of Emily's hair and making her giggle.

Percy took their distraction as an opportunity to slip away quietly.

"Hey! Where'd he go?" Emily's voice asked. He could almost feel Thalia shrug.

"He'll catch up to us later. For now, help me round up your sisters – we've got to get back to camp and clean up the pack before Artemis gets back." Thalia told her.

Emily agreed, and they both moved away. Soon the girls' shrieking and the wolves' barking began to move in the direction of the camp.

Percy followed them at a distance, keeping an eye out for danger the whole way back. He fell behind to change back to human form when suddenly panicked yelps rang out from the camp – the pack raising the alarm.

Cursing, Percy sprinted towards the camp, berating himself for letting the girls out of his sight and praying that he wasn't already too late.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! Feedback and reviews are always appreciated! Until next time!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Percy hurdled into the clearing, a growl already tearing from his throat when he was brought to a halt by the scene before him. Now that he was closer, he could understand the pack's howls of agony, and he winced at the pleas that were sent his way.

 _Percy, help us!_ Ky barked frantically, swerving to avoid the creature chasing him.

 _Save yourself – run!_ Ersken warned, whining pitifully from where he was cornered in between two tents. The rest of the pack was in a similar state.

Percy looked around the clearing, taking in the scattered metal tubs, shampoo bottles, and brushes, and began to howl with laughter. It wasn't monsters that were chasing the wolves – it was the girls.

"Gotcha!" Ally exclaimed, scooping Ky into her arms and quickly depositing him into the nearest water basin. He whimpered and scrambled to get out of the tub, but was held firmly in place by Ally as she determinedly scrubbed at his fur.

"It's bath time, whether you like it or not, Mister," she scolded, rubbing shampoo into his fur. "Lady Artemis's orders."

Percy watched from the edge of the clearing as the older girls dragged the remaining wolves into the baths by their silver collars, threatening, pleading, and bribing the whole way. It wasn't until most of the wolves were dried off, rewarded with a treat, and released, that a voice echoed across the clearing.

"Hey _ni_ _ñas_!" Kaelyn called to the younger girls, who were playing tag while their wolves ran around them in circles. When she had their attention, she pointed to Percy. "You missed one!"

 _Uh oh._ Percy thought, preparing to bolt when he felt something slip over his head and settle around his neck.

Unable to see what it was, he turned to find Emily smiling at him.

"There you go. Now you have a collar, and a name. Thalia told me that 'friend' in Greek is 'Phylo,' so that's your name now. You and I, we can make new friends together," she said softly, and Percy was touched by her thoughtfulness. He woofed quietly and licked her cheek in thanks, making her giggle and throw her arms around his neck.

He nuzzled her for a moment, then tried to gently disengage himself from her grip.

"Oh, no. You're not getting off that easy! Bath time, mister!" she giggled, grabbing Percy's new collar and tugging him towards the tub.

Not wanting to hurt her, Percy didn't struggle, though he eyed the bath reluctantly.

 _Oh well,_ he thought, _might as well make the most of it._

With a joyful bark, he leapt straight into the tub, causing the water to splash over the rim and soak Emily, who squealed loudly.

After a solid twenty minutes of giggles and shampoo mishaps, Percy's coat was shiny and clean. Meanwhile, Emily was so thoroughly soaked that she was forced to run back to the tent and change. Percy took the opportunity to slip back into the woods and transform back to his normal form, where he took up residence in a nearby tree and watched the girls clean up.

While they hauled the bath supplies back to the storage tent, Percy took a moment to slip his new collar over his head. It was silver with a coin-sized pendant attached to one of the links of the chain. As promised, the name 'Phylo' was engraved on the front, with a small alpha symbol on the back that recognized him as belonging to Artemis.

Percy smiled, carefully tucking the chain under his shirt and making sure it didn't get tangled with his camp necklace. Running his hands over the beads, Percy realized he didn't need to wear his camp necklace anymore – he was a part of the Hunt now.

But as he fingered the beads he had been so proud to earn, each one a symbol of everything Camp Half-Blood had meant to him, he couldn't do it. While the Hunt was his new family, Camp Half-Blood still felt like home, and he wasn't ready to give that up yet.

*****LINE BREAK*****

Artemis was walking through Olympus, admiring the gods' palaces as she recalled her conversation with her father. It had taken longer to convince him than she had hoped – the meeting had been delayed a day due to some emergency with Aeolus, and then on top of that she had wasted an extra day trying to appeal to his better nature. She had sent messages to Perseus and the Hunt, but time was being wasted. Enough was enough.

 _I don't know about this, Artemis. The mortal world is…unpredictable._ He had warned.

 _Yes, Father, but us gods can be even more so. It is not wise to ignore the mortals, not when their technology is advancing so quickly that soon even monsters and immortals may be affected._

Zeus had grumbled, but ultimately relented.

 _Alright, daughter. But I want you to be careful, and keep your Hunters out of trouble. More monsters have been stirring of late, and until we know the cause I want you to be on your guard._

 _Of course, Father._

She had hugged him, and he had smiled fondly before dismissing her.

She pondered his statement about the increasing number of monsters appearing, her brow creasing. He was right – until their last mission, Artemis had not encountered Kobaloi for many centuries. Looking at what they had done to Percy…it looked like they had only gotten stronger.

Still, she and her Hunters hadn't taken time off in years, not since she had sent Zoe and the others to Camp Half-Blood while she hunted the Ophiotaurus, if that even counted. She would enjoy this experience in the mortal world, and she hoped it would make things less strained between the Hunters.

As if in answer to the unspoken _and Perseus_ that had tacked itself onto her last thought without permission, Artemis found herself outside of Poseidon's Olympian palace. While not many gods deigned to visit Atlantis to view Poseidon's true palace, she had seen versions of it in paintings and weavings centuries ago. From what she gathered, the Atlantian palace was much more practical, made of coral and sea rock that, while pretty, was much less ostentatious than the palace standing before her.

She supposed the reflective material was used in an effort not to be outdone by her father's palace, which of course glowed magnificently in the fading light. Though a bit more understated, the iridescent shimmer cast from the silvery substance of Poseidon's palace was just as breathtaking as it cast rippling light onto the surrounding palaces as if mimicking sunlight reflecting off the ocean. Looking closer, she decided that the structure was created from seashells with pieces of sea-glass that ranged from pebbles to boulders imbedded in the walls, which served to catch the sunlight and create shimmering rainbows.

Next to it, Hades' new palace – while still under construction – quite exceeded her expectations. Like most of the gods, Artemis had cringed at the idea of having a shadow palace in the middle of Olympus, sucking all the light and joy out of the place. But other than choosing a dark color pattern – the palace being made from obsidian rock and the walkway decorated with braziers full of Greek fire, much like Nico's cabin at Camp Half-Blood – the design of the palace was actually quite tasteful.

Jumping as the braziers ignited, the torches of Greek fire flaring and lighting up the walkway to Hades' palace, Artemis was startled out of her thoughts enough to realize the sun had sunk beneath Olympus, bringing an end to her third day in the immortal city. It was time for her to return to the Hunt.

*****LINE BREAK*****

Artemis wasn't sure what she was expecting when she flashed back to camp. Possibly fighting, something that she had always detested but for some reason had become much more typical in the last week. Possibly a training session, or a playful game of some sort. But what she hadn't expected was silence. Or at least, near silence.

Looking around, she saw that her normally lively Hunters were sitting in groups around the clearing, plucking at their bows, tearing blades of grass, and making only the occasional comment to the others. It was a bleak comparison to the spirit and energy Percy had brought upon his arrival, even if his presence did sometimes result in tension.

Along this train of thought, Artemis decided she had had enough of the girls' sulking.

 _Perseus._

 _ **My Lady?**_

 _Enough is enough. I planned to give you a few more days, but under the circumstances-_

 _ **...**_

 _Perseus?_

 _ **Yes, My Lady.**_

 _What is it?_

 _ **...I will do this if you ask me to, of course, but I don't...I just can't see how my return would help anything.**_

 _Perseus, look at them, they're miserable-_

 _ **Are they? And I told you, you can call me Percy.**_

 _Pers- Oh, alright. Percy. They very obviously are sorry-_

 _ **But would anything change? If I came back now, would they accept me, or would they just feel resentful about me leaving? With all due respect, My Lady, I promised to join you in the mortal world, but until then I would like to retain my absence.**_

Artemis sighed, understanding his point.

 _Very well._

 _ **Thank you, My Lady.**_

 _How are Alpha and Gamma?_

 _ **Good. Still resting, but much better – they are in the Med tent. You have time to check on them before dinner, if you want.**_

 _Thank you. I think I will._

She disconnected from whatever mental connection she and Pers- blast, _Percy-_ had formed and walked to the medical tent at the edge of the clearing. Ducking inside, she found Phoebe refilling the water bowls beside Alpha and Gamma's sleeping forms.

"My Lady!" she started, straightening quickly. "How…how was the meeting?"

Artemis softened as she noticed her oldest Hunter's hesitation, and allowed her expression to relax.

"It went very well, thank you for asking. How did it go today?"

Phoebe hesitated, twisting the water bottle she held in her hands.

"It was…fine, I suppose. The others still haven't forgiven me – not that I expect them too – but…I didn't want to force them to be around me if they didn't want to, so I thought I'd come check on Alpha and Gamma," she admitted, not meeting Artemis's eyes.

"Phoebe, what you did was not only wrong, but very hurtful. I don't think I have to tell you that you not only endangered Percy, but also all of the mortals inside the school that we were sent to protect, and your sisters."

Phoebe cringed, and Artemis paused.

"But, they are still your sisters, and they will forgive you. I understand that it may be hard to face them, but they will respect you more for it. And you are not the first to have made a mistake out of hatred for men. Many have done the same."

"They have?" Phoebe asked, looking so miserable that Artemis felt compelled to comfort her.

"They have. Myself included. Even Zoe-," Phoebe flinched, and Artemis softened her voice.

"Even Zoe admitted that she had misjudged Percy. You must know that the sword he carries – _Anaklusmos_ , Riptide – was the sword Zoe once gave to Hercules. Percy did not want it, once he learned of Zoe's history with it, but she insisted that he keep it, and honor her by carrying it. I believe he does so. If Perseus could earn even Zoe's acceptance, don't you think he deserves a chance?"

Phoebe's eyes remained on her hands.

"Phoebe, I understand that you loved Zoe very much. I did as well – she was my oldest Huntress, the best Lieutenant I have ever had, and we hunted together for over a century. You are now the eldest Hunter I have left, after first the Titan War and then Gaea's awakening severely depleted our ranks, and while I understand that the time you have spent with me has not helped your feelings concerning men, the world is changing and it does not do to hold grudges. If Zoe could forgive Percy, so can you."

Phoebe's eyes were glassy as she took in Artemis's words, and she set the water bottle carefully on the table next to her.

"I…I completely understand, Lady Artemis. I never- I never knew that about Zoe, or Percy. I just…It's very hard, My Lady, to be the only one who remembers them at all. To be the last one left after the two wars, and to know that maybe I…that maybe I should have fallen with them. Or, at the very least, that I would be with them now if I had." Phoebe paused, swallowing and blinking a few times before continuing.

Artemis ignored the lump in her own throat as Phoebe continued.

"My new sisters…I do love them, but it is hard to have no one to talk to about the sisters I have lost. No one who knew them as I did, or lives with the guilt I feel. And Zoe…Zoe was the hardest to lose, because I can't help but feel that had I been there as I should have – had I done my duty and protected her as I swore to protect you – things might have gone differently. And even if they hadn't, at least I would have known that I tried, or heard her last words. I never got to say goodbye, to any of them, and-," she hiccupped, tears freely flowing down her cheeks.

"-and it's just hard. My Lady. But I am sorry. I am so sorry."

Artemis was speechless, unable to contain either her sorrow or anger at herself for not having noticed or even thought of what Phoebe must have been going through. Yes, she had known Phoebe hated men – most of her Hunters did, and for good reason – but for her to bring Percy into the Hunt, and raise so many painful memories of Zoe and the others without even talking to Phoebe about it…it must have been very painful and emotional indeed.

"No, Phoebe," Artemis finally spoke, walking forward to embrace her eldest Huntress.

"I am the one who is sorry. I had no thought or sense of any of what you were feeling, and that was a great failure of mine. For that, I deeply apologize. And I feel compelled to tell you, you are not alone. You have me, for one. I know I often seem aloof, and we are generally busy on the Hunt, but if you ever wish to talk or have need of someone to listen, know that I am here.

"And as for your sisters…they might surprise you. Thalia, for one, carries a similar guilt over Zoe. As does Percy – that you saw a fraction of for yourself. And your new sisters, they love stories. Tell them of your fallen sisters, let their memories live on. Give them true heroes, heroes that deserve to be admired and remembered. Give this new family a chance, Phoebe, and I promise you, you will not be alone any more. Not ever again."

Phoebe nodded into Artemis's shoulder, clinging to her as she let the sorrow she had been fighting finally consume her. Artemis tightened her arms around Phoebe, standing stoically as her own cheeks grew wet with sorrow and regret.

The two immortals stood in solidarity, waiting until their tears dried before walking out together to join the others for dinner.

 **A/N: Thank you everyone for the lovely reviews and follows! I absolutely loved reading all of your reactions to the cliff hanger from last chapter, and I love your feedback! Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter, and please bear with me if next week's is a bit late – it's finals week for me so it's a bit difficult to find time to write, but I will do my best! Thank you all, and keep reviewing! ;) Until next time!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

As Phoebe and Artemis emerged from the medic tent, they gathered the girls around the table, Artemis noting their sluggishness with growing concern.

When the food appeared, the girls barely glanced up, having given up the hope that Percy would magically appear. The younger Hunters were quietest, each lost in their own thoughts. Phoebe, though considerably more cheerful after her and Artemis's conversation, became discouraged by the continued cold shoulder from most of her sisters and ate solemnly.

A few of the girls made polite conversation, but it was obvious that their hearts and minds were elsewhere. The entire table, in fact, was without its usual spirit, and Artemis found herself missing the laughter she had unintentionally grown accustomed to since Percy's arrival.

She cleared her throat to break the silence.

"So, girls, how was training?" she asked, looking around the table. The girls' eyes remained firmly on their food as they offered noncommittal shrugs and grunts. Artemis raised an eyebrow, sweeping her gaze over the girls seated before her.

"Emily, how have you enjoyed the last few days?"

Emily looked up, offering a shy smile.

"Thalia taught me how to shoot a bow, and I got to name one of the wolves! But…"

"But?" Artemis prompted. Emily ducked her head.

"But I miss my dad. And Percy never came back. And everyone's sad, even if they pretend not to be."

Silence followed her declaration, the only sounds the scraping of forks and chewing as Artemis contemplated how to address the hippocampus in the clearing.

"Well, Emily, I hope you have a better experience with us in the coming days," she finally replied. Emily nodded and returned to staring down at her plate. Artemis sighed.

"I was going to save this for the morning, but I suppose we could all do with a bit of cheering up. I've decided we are going to shoot two birds with one arrow, and now that I have Zeus' approval, we can begin preparations for our next mission."

At this, the girls perked up a bit, eager for a distraction.

"First, we will return to Emily's house and do what we can to find her father. As much as we have enjoyed having you as a part of our hunt, Emily, you belong with your father, and we will do our best to ensure that you are reunited."

Emily nodded eagerly, looking hopefully at Artemis.

"Thank you, Lady Artemis!" she exclaimed, and Artemis smiled.

"You are very welcome, Emily. After that is completed, we are to return to New York. There we will assimilate into the mortal world – Zeus has given us a week to gather what information we can, and then we must return to monster hunting. I'm hoping to discover more about where the increase in monsters is originating from, and determine if the mortals have noticed anything strange. However, this excursion is also meant to be a break from our normal routine, so I do want to encourage you girls to take advantage of this time and enjoy yourselves."

The girls gaped at Artemis, astonished at hearing her tell them to be _less_ disciplined. Artemis herself looked pained, but that had been part of the deal with her father. He had practically forced her to take a break from monster hunting, worried as he was about the resurgence of ancient foes. Artemis shook off her displeasure and continued with her news.

"In addition, it may please you to know that, because of his experience with mortals, Percy will be rejoining us for the trip."

It took the girls a moment to absorb her words, a beat of silence settling over the table before the girls suddenly exploded with movement. The younger girls were bouncing in their seats, looking like Christmas had come early, while the other Huntresses talked with varying emotions using animated gestures. Artemis noticed that beside her, Phoebe – though quiet – seemed somewhat hopeful, anxious for the chance to make things right.

"Lady Artemis?" she asked quietly, taking her sisters' distraction as an opportunity.

"Yes, Phoebe?"

"May I be excused? There's something I need to do," she asked firmly, a flash of determination in her eyes. Artemis looked at her for a moment, holding her gaze, before nodding sharply.

Phoebe didn't hesitate, pushing back from the table and striding into the forest before Artemis could say another word. Ignoring the questions that were flying at her from every direction, Artemis watched Phoebe's back, noting the square set of her shoulders with a grim smile. She knew Phoebe would set things right.

She turned back to the rest of the girls, none of who had noticed Phoebe's abrupt departure, and began to answer their questions.

*****LINE BREAK*****

Phoebe marched into the forest, not quite sure where she was going but determined to get there all the same.

"Percy!" she called, coming to a halt a few minutes inside the tree line and searching the branches above her. The forest around her was quiet, giving no indication that Percy was even present, but Phoebe took a breath.

"Well, here's hoping you're listening…"

"I came to apologize. I…What I did was wrong. I was angry. Angry at myself because I wasn't there to save Zoe – angry at you because you were, and you still couldn't. Angry that, of all my sisters of old, I'm the last one left standing. It's no excuse, but…I swore to protect them, and I failed. And you were a _constant_ reminder of that," she paused, her throat working as she swallowed a sob.

"And then my new sisters, who are supposed to share my hatred of men, to understand it and take my side, accepted you as a brother within a week. Suddenly I was the villain, and you were the beloved hero, again. You, who I hated more than even my father, monster that he was. But my hatred of you was undeserved – I blamed you because it was easier than accepting the truth, and for that I'm sorry. I do not expect your forgiveness, but in driving you away I have hurt my sisters, something I vowed to never again do, and for that reason I ask that you return to the Hunt."

She paused, searching the branches above her for any indication that Percy had heard her. Except for a squirrel running past, the forest was quiet, and Phoebe's shoulders slumped with disappointment.

"I know I messed up. And I know I put everyone in danger, and that was something I never meant to do…I let my hatred blind me, and I understand if you can't forgive that. But, for what it's worth…I'm sorry."

She turned to leave, unsure if Percy had heard her but glad she had said it regardless. She had taken two steps towards the clearing when a shadow dropped to the ground in front of her. Before it could rise from a crouch, she had an arrow aimed at it's heart, and was about to signal the wolf pack when she recognized the messy patch of black hair.

"Phoebe," Percy spoke, looking unsurprised at the arrow he was facing, and she hastily replaced the arrow in her quiver. Before she could speak, he smiled widely, stopping her words in their tracks.

"Phoebe, of course I forgive you," he assured her. Phoebe blinked at him, not understanding.

"I, more than anyone, can understand what it's like to hate yourself. And I know what it's like to watch your friends die, and feel that it's your fault, or that you could have stopped it. I know how easy it is to turn that hatred on someone else, as a distraction or to protect yourself. I can't begrudge you that. But as for the hatred of men thing…can we put that aside? We're on the same side now, and we both promised the same thing – to protect this family. So can we work together? Start over?" he asked, offering his hand. Phoebe examined it, suspicious, but caught herself.

"Yes," she agreed, grabbing his hand firmly, "I think I'd like that."

Percy smiled at her, and Phoebe felt the corners of her mouth tug upwards in response.

"So can I call you Phoebes?" Percy asked cheekily, and Phoebe slugged him in the arm.

"Not if you want to be able to walk straight ever again," she growled, but as Percy's laugh echoed among the trees, she couldn't help allowing a small smile to creep across her face as they headed back to the clearing.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! So so sorry for the long wait, but I'm very busy this summer and have had a hard time finding inspiration to write! So please, leave reviews, because they inspire me to update faster, and any feedback on what you'd like to see in future chapters is welcome! Thanks, and until next time!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Percy and Phoebe walked side by side into the clearing, exchanging a reassuring glance before approaching the other members of the Hunt.

Phoebe slipped back into her vacated place at the table unnoticed, while Percy strolled to the other end, sidling into his empty seat and propping his feet up on the table.

"But when will Percy join us? Won't we need his help to find Emily's dad?" Alexis demanded from her seat, her ferocity nearly lifting her out of her chair and onto the table.

"His help is not necessary, but would be appreciated, yes. However, I will leave it to Percy to decide when to rejoin us, as he can perform his duties just as well from a distance if he so chooses," Artemis replied firmly, causing Alexis to press her lips into a line in displeasure.

"Well, I could," Percy drawled, causing the girls to all jump and whirl towards his voice. He popped a grape into his mouth and grinned. "But where would be the fun in that?"

"PERCY!" the younger girls screamed, launching themselves at him. His smile widened as he opened his arms to receive them, but quickly disappeared when, instead of hugs, he was attacked with dozens of tiny punches.

"Ow, ow, OW! Munchkins – ow – what are you doing?" he exclaimed, having fallen backwards out of his chair and holding his hands in front of his face, refusing to ward off the blows in case he hurt one of them.

"You. PROMISED. Us." Alexis growled, her eyes slightly red around the edges.

"You said you wouldn't leave!" Cali wailed, giving up on attacking him and burying her face in his leg instead.

"Everyone was really sad when you were gone," Emily said quietly, sitting by Percy's head while he fended off the other girls' strikes.

"Family doesn't leave," Luna spat, more venom in her voice than even Artemis expected. The girls continued their attack for a few seconds longer, than gave up and tackled him with hugs.

"But you came back," Ally relented, her voice muffled as she pressed her face against his chest. Percy sat up carefully, disentangling each of the girls and setting them in a half circle facing him.

"I'm sorry I left. I really am," he told them, looking each of them in the eyes and holding their gaze.

"But I did it to protect you. All of you. If my being here puts you in danger, I will leave again in a heartbeat. Because that's my job, as your Guardian, and as your big brother – to protect you, and do what is best for you above all else, even if it means going against what either of us want. Can you understand that?" he asked solemnly.

The girls all grumbled, refusing to look at him, and Percy sighed.

"All I can promise is this – I will never willing leave like that again unless I absolutely have to, okay?"

"Swear it on the Styx!" Alexis demanded, the shrillness of her voice betraying the hurt that lay beneath her anger. Percy held her gaze, searching her eyes and recognizing the steely determination that he had learned to associate with the familiar stormy grey color.

"Percy, don't be rash," Artemis warned. Next to her, Thalia crossed her arms but said nothing. She had done plenty of stupid things herself, and she knew that Percy had learned his lesson when it came to oaths.

"I swear on the River Styx that I will do whatever it takes to protect you, and that I won't purposefully leave you all again unless I absolutely have to, alright?" he vowed, looking at each of the girls in turn.

Up at the table, the older Huntresses exchanged glances, raising their eyebrows at Percy's lack of hesitation when taking the oath. They were impressed despite themselves.

"Alright," the girls chorused happily, and the rest of the Hunters settled down, satisfied that the interruption was over. Not a second later, a burst of noise sent their newly reclaimed silverware clattering to the table as they turned with wide eyes to see what the sudden commotion was.

Down at the end of the table, the younger girls were standing around a stunned looking Percy, who was doing his best to follow what was happening as each of the girls launched into their own narrative, all of them trying to capture his attention as they pulled him back to his seat at the table.

"Thalia taught me how to use a bow, and I–"

"I miscalculated the wind resistance but once I fixed that it wasn't hard–"

"You were watching us, weren't you? The feather I found–"

"Are you going to train us now? You said you would–"

"What were you doing when you were gone? Did you miss us? 'Cuz we–"

Artemis looked to Thalia, who had a grin stretched across her face as she watched Percy's panicked attempt to hold a different conversation with each of the girls. It _was_ fairly amusing, Artemis admitted to herself, before her thoughts drifted to the plans ahead.

She was loathe to let Emily go, ingrained as she was into the Hunt already, but the girl was young and deserved a childhood with her father, if that was still possible. Hopefully they would be able to track him down, but Artemis had an uneasy feeling about the whole situation. Darkness was stirring once again, and she was growing weary of this constant fighting.

Still, there was nothing more she could do now, so she brushed it off and returned her attention to the table, where the energy that seemed to accompany Percy had infused life back into the girls. The entire table was chatting animatedly, enough that she almost overlooked the occasional glances the girls kept casting towards the seat at the end of the table, as if subconsciously making sure Percy was still there. Almost, except for the fact that she couldn't stop herself from doing the same.

****LINE BREAK****

"I'm glad you're back," Ally told Percy as he pulled the covers over her. He smiled.

"Me too, Ally-Cat."

"Percy! Percy, do we get to hear more of the story tonight?" Cali asked eagerly, and Percy chuckled.

"Sure! Where was it that I left off?" he pretended to think. The girls giggled.

"Prince Percy and Sir Grover and Lady Annabeth were going to find the Lightning Staff!" Luna supplied, and Percy nodded.

"That's right! So Emily, the story began with Prince Percy going to Half-Blood Kingdom, but his mother, Queen Sally, was kil-kidnapped by an evil Bull-Man. He and his best friends – Sir Grover Underwood and Lady Annabeth – went to find King Zeus's Lightning Staff because Prince Percy's father, King Poseidon, was blamed for stealing it. If Prince Percy finds who really stole the staff, he might be able to save his mother. Does that make sense?"

Emily nodded from her bed, pleased to be included, and Percy ruffled her hair.

"Okay then! So Prince Percy, Sir Grover, and Lady Annabeth were about to start on their quest to find the Lightning Staff. Prince Percy went to see the Oracle, in the hopes that he could find out who took the staff and where his mother was. The Oracle, an old, creepy mummy living in the attic, tells him not what he wants to hear, but a prophecy…"

Artemis listened to Percy's story from outside of the tent, where she sat leaning against one of the posts holding it steady. She smiled serenely, marveling at how easily Percy held all of the girls' attention and chuckling at his patience with the younger hunters' questions. She could almost picture the scene inside the tent without needing to look – Percy's wild hand gestures, growing bigger and more dramatic as the story went on, all of the girls leaning in without realizing it, even the older hunters who pretended not to care.

There was something about this hero, Artemis thought to herself. Something different – something _special._ All heroes were special, but Percy…she couldn't put her finger on it.

Artemis put the matter aside and sat contentedly, choosing instead to listen to Percy's story and gaze up at her lovely silver moon.

 **A/N: I am so sorry that it has been so long. I would like to say it won't happen again, but life happens and it probably will – I apologize in advance. That said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I will do my best to get another one up soon! Thank you all, and don't forget to review! 3 Until next time!**


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